Interlude From Reality
by smk123
Summary: When a 'milk run' goes bad, Amanda takes a break from reality. How will Lee handle it? now complete
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Scarecrow and Mrs. King and its characters belong to WB and Shoot the Moon Productions. No infringement is intended. This is written for entertainment purposes only. Please do not redistribute or reproduce this story without my permission.

Many thanks to Ermintrude for her beta-ing, ideas and encouragement.

*Slight reference to Ship of Spies and AThere Goes the Neighbourhood

Timeline - 3rd season - before ATWAS - breaks canon or AU depending on how you view it!

Rating - Mature

Genre - Drama/Romance

Warnings: violence, sexual situations, some mild swearing

Author – Charlie

Summary – When Amanda takes a break from reality, how will Lee handle it?

Chapter 1

It was the faint drone of a fly that woke her. Lazily, she waved her hand towards her ear, attempting to discourage the annoying insect that had forced her to leave the comforting cocoon of sleep. Her mind foggy, she kept her eyes closed, inhaling the slightly musty scent of the soil on which she lay and enjoying the warmth of the sun on her skin. She was tired and it felt so good to be resting. Smiling, she wiggled slightly trying to find a more comfortable position. The ground beneath her was a bit lumpy and she frowned at the pressure of a pebble against her shoulder. It seemed to be prodding her to move, to do something...

With a sigh, she opened her eyes and gazed up at a clear blue sky, framed by branches from the nearby trees. No sign of the dark clouds that had been there earlier in the day... or was it yesterday? She furrowed her brow as she tried to solve that puzzle but her thoughts seemed to slide away in her mind, not letting her grasp on to them. What day was it? Hmm...It was simple question. She was sure she knew the answer but right now it escaped her. Oh well. Did it really matter anyway?

Time didn't seem to have any meaning in this place. It was so peaceful and relaxing. She gave a little stretch and winced as her body protested the movement. Aches and pains seemed to come at her from all sides, impinging on her mellow mood. She laid still for a few moments and let the discomfort fade.

A sparrow flew over head and landed on a nearby branch. It hopped up and down the limb, eyes darting from side to side as it chirped earnestly. In the distance, an answering twitter could be heard and, with a flick of its tail, the bird flew off in the direction of the call, as if on some urgent mission. An urgent mission...a vague thought drifted by but disappeared before it could come into focus. There was something...something she had to do...a rendezvous with...? An appointment...? It was all sort of fuzzy and made her head hurt. Once again, she abandoned her line of thought. It would come to her eventually.

Instead, she rolled her head to the side and observed the wrecked helicopter crumpled against the trees at the edge of the clearing. Her eyes scanned further and saw the man, still lying on the ground just where he had been last time she had been awake.

She could see that he was injured. His pant leg was bloodied and a bandage could be seen peeking out through the ripped fabric. One arm was partially visible under his half buttoned shirt and appeared to be strapped to his chest. Was there a cut on his forehead as well? It was hard to tell as his face was turned away from her. She didn't think he had moved since the last time she'd been awake but her memory of that was vague. Something inside of her was urging her to get up and go to him. She thought she recalled trying to stand up and reach him earlier but the world had been spinning...Had she fallen? Possibly. An image of the ground rushing towards her seemed quite clear.

Well, she'd better try again. With a sigh, she rolled over in preparation for standing and gasped as pain shot down her side. She put her hand down to brace herself and bit back a cry as that also hurt. Forcing herself to breath and stay calm, she blinked back her tears and managed to sit up. A quick inventory revealed that the palm of her hand was cut. Fresh blood was seeping through the bandage. No doubt she'd pulled it open when she put her hand down to the ground.

Experimentally she shifted her legs and found they seemed to be fine. She could move her arms as well but her side was quite sore. Pulling up her shirt, she saw bruises along her ribs and stomach area. Finally she touched her forehead and winced as her hand made contact with a lump. The area was tender and slightly sticky with a mixture of blood and some slippery substance. Maybe an antibiotic cream?

She looked towards the man again. He was so still, she could barely make out his chest rising and falling as he breathed. She really did need to check on him. Gathering her legs beneath her, she stood and then swayed as the world started to go dark. She froze, arms slightly extended for balance and waited. After a moment, the darkness faded, her vision cleared and she began to feel steadier. Tentatively she moved towards the man and was pleased that her equilibrium seemed to be re-establishing itself.

Stopping beside the man, she stared at his face and was surprised by the feeling of happiness that invaded her heart and soul. She felt a smile break out on her face. Who he was, she didn't know, but the very sight of him seemed to be enough to make everything right in the world.

Looking around at the beauty of nature surrounding her, she felt strangely relaxed and at peace. She was injured. He was injured and yet... it really didn't seem to worry her because they were here—together. They would be able to share this little corner of paradise, just the two of them. It was everything she could ever dream of...

Water, faintly tinkling over stones could just be distinguished in the distance. Birds were twittering in the background and she could see a chipmunk scuttling along the ground. The sun was warm and the sweet scent of drying grass was carried by on a gentle breeze. She speculated that it was late summer or early fall judging by the warmth of the air, the faintly tired look of the leaves and the slight browning of the grass. It seemed to be a perfect location for a little vacation...

She brought her attention back to the man and gingerly knelt beside him, cradling her injured hand against her so as to not accidentally open the cut even farther. Her other hand reached out and brushed the hair from his brow. Yes, she'd been right. There was a head wound, a small lump and a graze just at his hairline as if something hard had struck him. His hair was still slightly matted with blood, though it was obvious that someone had tried to clean some of it from his face. Under her hand, his skin was warm to the touch and a fission of worry stirred within her. A fever might mean an infection. Her hand gently caressed his thick, sandy hair and he stirred in his sleep. His head turned towards her and he muttered, 'Manda?

She sat back on her heels in surprise. Who was Manda? Was that her name? Up to this point she hadn't even realized that she didn't know her own name. It wasn't something a person went around thinking about after all, she reassured herself. No one could fault her for not realizing this fact right away, could they? Hmm...Who was she? Now that was a silly question wasn't it? Of course she knew her own name. She was... It was just on the tip of her tongue—she just had to concentrate a bit harder. Her name was...Well, it was...Manda ...maybe.... She said it to herself and it felt right but... She'd have to ask the man when he woke up.

Searching her mind for other facts about herself, she found that there was nothing there. No last name. No address. No phone number. No job. No idea of how she had come to be in a helicopter... This wasn't good. She had amnesia. She gave a rueful chuckle. The only thing she knew about herself was that she didn't know anything! Nervously she twisted her fingers and, feeling something hard, glanced down to see a wedding ring. Well, that was something—she was married. Just that little fact made her feel better. The calm began to invade her again. Pleased with her discovery, she resumed her inspection of the man.

Moving the torn material of his pant leg aside, she carefully pulled away the bandage to look at the injury on his upper thigh. It was a long thin cut and for some reason it stirred a memory...She searched her mind for clues, staring unseeing into the distance...

"Run! Get in the chopper. Go, go! Don't wait for me!" A man's voice yelled.

Startled, she looked around but no one was there. Her stomach knotted and little black dots started to dance before her eyes as a fresh wave of panic washed over her. She felt dizzy, like she might pass out again. Clenching her fists, she fought against the encroaching darkness and forced herself to breathe slowly. As the voice faded away, the feeling of calm returned and her tense muscles relaxed.

The man beside her moved again and she cupped his cheek with her good hand. He had a beautiful face. A straight nose, long lashes and a kissable mouth. She traced his nose and then his lips with her finger tip. She loved him. Whoever he was, she knew she loved him. The feeling swelled within her as she gazed upon his sleeping face. Did he love her? She searched her mind and could find no answer but surely, a love this deep couldn't be one sided. She glanced at the wedding band on her left ring finger. This man must be her husband—who else could he be? Why else would she be in the middle of the wilderness with him, if he wasn't? Daringly, she leaned forward and pressed her lips to his, only to gasp, partially in pain as her sore muscles protested the movement, but mostly from the jolt of electricity that had coursed through her when their lips had touched.

She slowly brought her hand to her mouth and touched her trembling lips. If that was what happened with just a little peck, she could only imagine what a full blown kiss was like! Yes, she decided, giving a secret smile, this man must be her husband. Somehow she knew that she wouldn't feel that kind of a response to anyone she wasn't bound to both heart and soul.

A fleeting image of the man placing a ring on her finger came to her. He lifted a veil from her face and bent to kiss her...the image faded and was replaced with a scene from a living room. People coming in the front door, carrying food, welcoming them to the neighbourhood. Then she was arguing with the man in a kitchen ... The memory faded again but she smiled. Yes, they were married— a typical couple! Her eyes refocused and she suddenly realized that hazel ones were staring up at her.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Lee blinked his eyes and smiled at the vision before him. An angel with dark brown curls was hovering over him. Just moments before he had felt her cool, healing touch on his warm brow. It had beckoned to him, calling him back from the grey fog that had enveloped him. He'd been reluctant to return but the angel had called to him again. Her lips had caressed his with a light feathery touch and the sweet warmth of that contact had convinced him to open his eyes.

"Hey" he said sleepily.

"Hey yourself," She replied with a husky voice.

"How are you doing?"

"Okay," She smiled warmly at him and stroked his cheek. He closed his eyes briefly, savouring the touch then met her gaze once more. "Have I been out for very long?"

"I'm not sure. I just woke up myself a few minutes ago." She trailed her thumb slowly across his lips.

Instinctively he responded, the tip of his tongue darting out to caress the pad. Then he stopped himself. Reality was coming into focus. This was his partner, Amanda. They didn't have that kind of relationship. What had he been thinking?

"Can I help you get up?"

"I can do it." He started to sit up but was immediately met with pain. Sinking back down he swore. "Damn - forgot the shoulder's dislocated."

"Oh—I wondered what had happened to it."

"The crash messed it up but don't worry about it—it will be fine" Lee hastened to reassure his partner. He hated worrying her. "Just let me just lie here a bit and get my bearings." He licked his dry lips. "Can you get me a drink of water?"

"Sure." She looked around in confusion.

"There should be some in that stash over there." He gestured with his head to a collection of items just a few feet away. She looked around, noted the supplies and made her way to the pile. After a moment she returned with a water bottle.

Kneeling beside him, she winced in obvious discomfort.

"Are you alright?" Lee studied her face intently, noting the tightness of her lips and the faint furrow on her brow.

"Yeah, just a bit sore." She gave him a brief smile and seemed to relax under his gaze.

Lee eyed her critically while taking the bottle from her hand, trying to judge the truthfulness of her statement. She was paler than usual. He'd have to grill her a bit more about the state of her injuries but first...he took a long satisfying drink of water. "Ahh! That's better." He sighed in pleasure. "So, what's our status?" He took another swig, savouring the feel of the cool liquid trailing down his parched throat. Carefully setting the bottle down, he wiped his mouth on the back of his hand, then looked at her expectantly.

"What's our status?" She parroted back. "Umm... well...We're in this clearing in a forest and it looks like we were in a helicopter crash... I guess we've both been unconscious for a while..." Her voice trailed off weakly and she shrugged, giving him a shy smile.

Lee stared at her in puzzlement. Something was wrong here. That was the vaguest status report he'd ever received. Even at the beginning of her work with the Agency, she'd never been that bad...

"Manda, I... " Lee began.

"That's me isn't it?" She interrupted. "You said that name earlier. Am I Manda?"

He nodded slowly as a hypothesis began to form in his mind....Could she have amnesia? She seemed rather vague and she had been unconscious last time he had seen her, likely from a blow to the head sustained during the crash. As she rambled on, her words confirmed his suspicions.

"Oh, good. I was hoping it was me. It sort of seemed right when you said it but I wasn't totally sure and if I wasn't Manda then I was wondering who was Manda and well, I guess it doesn't really matter what I was wondering since it's me. Gosh, it's good to have a name! Do you? Have a name that is? Well, of course you have a name— everyone has a name but yours has sort of slipped my mind, and, since we're here together, it would probably be a good idea if I knew it, don't you think?" She finally ran out of breath.

"Yes, you're Manda - Amanda King." He gave his head a minute shake—she was still a 'black-belt confuser' even when she had amnesia! "My name is Lee...Lee Stetson."

She nodded and said the name softly to herself, a smile forming on her face. "It's a good name."

"Thanks," Lee smiled faintly at her comment while his eyes took a quick inventory of the woman before him. She seemed to be favouring her side, holding her arm to her body, a bloodied bandage on her hand. Her shirt was untucked and partially unbuttoned at her waist, allowing him to see glimpses of the bruising on her side. He winced, recalling how she had been kicked while held captive. His eyes drifted upwards to the goose-egg adorning her head, a few traces of blood still streaked down her face.

"Amanda, I'm going to try to sit up again. Can you give me a hand?"

"Sure." As he slowly levered himself up, she slipped her uninjured hand behind him and aided his movement.

Lee felt sweat break out on his brow and he clamped his jaws tightly against the waves of pain. His vision blurred momentarily and he fought to remain upright. Years of training kicked in and he focused his mind on a clump of grass in front of him. 'This is no different than being interrogated or tortured,' he told himself. 'Find a focus. Centre yourself. You control the pain, it doesn't control you. Push it to the extreme edge of your awareness. Gain control of your mind. Regular breathing....'

After a few moments, the pain became discomfort and then a vague irritant. He shifted his gaze from the clump of grass and turned to look at Amanda. She was sitting beside him with a worried expression on her face.

"Where did you go? You seemed a million miles away."

"I was, sort of. Just gaining control of myself."

"Oh..."

"Don't worry about it. Right now I'm more concerned about you. Come here." He gestured in front of him and Amanda obediently took a seat before him.

He reached out with his good arm. His hand gently pushed her hair away, probing the injured area on her forehead.

"Do you have a headache?" he queried. As she shook her head no, he turned her head from side to side, looking in her ears for signs of blood and then stared at both of her eyes to check the pupils. Her eyes were deep brown and seemed to reach into his soul. Lee momentarily lost himself in those eyes and had to force himself to focus on her pupils. They were equally dilated.

"No obvious concussion," he muttered to himself. "Manda, can I...?" He gestured towards her shirt tail, silently asking her permission to check the injuries on her torso. He expected her to discreetly lift the material out of his way. Instead she trustingly nodded at him, and began unbuttoning her shirt. Lee knew his surprise must be evident on his face. Amanda King had never unbuttoned her shirt in front of him and the look she would have given him if he suggested it...well, he'd be dead in his tracks! He forced his hand to stay steady and his eyes to not focus on the enticing bits of lace and gently swelling breasts. Instead, he carefully probed her ribs and she let out a faint gasp of pain.

"Sorry...bruised ribs, maybe cracked, but I don't think they're broken," he reassured her.

Continuing his examination, he pressed on her stomach, her side and then pulled her waist band down a bit so he could see the extent of the bruising on her hip.

"No excessive pain or vomiting?" She indicated no. "I don't think you have any internal injuries, as far as I can tell, but I'm no doctor."

He let his hand drop to his side and stared at her. "Amanda, do you remember anything? How we got here? Our mission...?"

"Not really." She said with a shrug as she re-buttoned her shirt. "I woke up here and saw you. I think I slept or maybe passed out the first time I tried to get up. I have a vague impression of a storm earlier and sometimes pictures or voices just pop into my head for a moment - voices yelling, maybe gun fire? But then it's gone." She shook her head. "I don't like what comes into my mind. It's scary and I feel, I don't know... panic, overwhelming fear... I don't think I want to know what I forgot. It's just nicer here, right now, with you." The slightly worried look on her face faded as she uttered those last few words, and she looked at him with a smile, gently running her hand down his arm.

Lee sighed and looked around him. They were lucky to have made it to this clearing. The trees around were tall and thick. If they had crashed 20 feet from here, they likely wouldn't be alive. His mind drifted back to the events of earlier on...


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

It wasn't supposed to be a dangerous mission. Posing as a husband and wife on vacation, they were to meet their contact, Marcus, and retrieve the intelligence gathered about a radical group that was helping funnel ammunitions to guerrilla fighters in South America. It was to be a simple three day trip. "You'll have time to do some sight-seeing, kick back and relax," Billy had reassured his best team. This was a plum job as a reward for the difficult case they had just concluded.

Instead, they arrived at the prearranged meeting spot to find Marcus held at gunpoint— his cover blown. Lee and Amanda had also been captured, forced to surrender in order to save Marcus' life. One of the gunmen had taken an interest in Amanda and had started to run his hand over her. Lee had flown into a rage, almost escaping his captors and lunging at the man who dared to touch his partner. He had been quickly pistol whipped and then dragged unconscious to the radicals' camp deep in the wilderness. Lee had come around to the sound of Marcus' and Amanda's desperate whispers. Hands and feet tied, they had been tossed in a tent which was frequently checked by a guard.

Amanda eyes had been wide with fear and her lips pressed tightly together in an attempt to keep them from trembling, but Lee knew she was just putting on a brave front. Marcus told Lee that the guard had been in to check on them a few times and had not tried to hide his intent toward Amanda. After his first lewd comments and forced kiss, she had bit him only to be rewarded with a slap that had knocked her over followed by several kicks in the side. She had lay there for quite some time, hands and feet bound, unable to pull herself up or even cradle the injured area. Eventually she had managed to right herself but had been in considerable pain. On his next visit, Amanda hadn't dared to resist, but thankfully the guard had only had time to taunt her with his plans for this evening's entertainment, before he had been called away by one of his superiors.

Lee, seething with rage, had worked frantically to loosen his bonds. Marcus and Amanda had also been trying to escape but with little luck. It was Amanda who finally noticed a nail protruding from a crate behind Lee and he had been able to use it to help break free from the ropes. He had just started to move towards his fellow captives, planning to set them free, when they heard the sound of voices approaching.

"I'm going to check on my special visitor again," a voice had called out.

"Save a bit of her for the rest of us," another had replied with crude laughter.

Quickly, Lee had resumed his previous position, pretending to still be unconscious and tied up. As he had before, the guard paused by Amanda, insolently running his fingers through her hair before forcing a kiss on her mouth.

With the guard's attention diverted, Lee had snuck up behind him, spun the man around and landed a satisfying kick into his stomach. Unfortunately, the guard managed to pull a knife and had slashed Lee's leg. Lee stumbled back momentarily but then his adrenaline surged and he had rushed forward again, knocking the man to the ground. Enraged over the treatment Amanda had received, he delivered blow after blow to the guard. Finally Amanda's voice broke through his anger.

"Lee! Lee! That's enough!" Amanda had called, obviously grateful that her tormentor was gone but fearful of the murderous look on his face.

He had sat back on his heels, his arms limp at his side. His head had fallen forward and he had closed his eyes, taking calming breathes and willing his heart rate to slow. He didn't seem to feel the wound on his leg even though the blood was dripping down onto the ground. Lee had known that feelings weren't needed at such a time— a calm, clear-thinking agent was. Quickly, he had regained control of his emotions, untied Amanda and Marcus and then peered out of the tent, assessing their escape options.

Marcus noted that a helicopter was at the far end of the compound and Lee had nodded. It was their best option. The shadows cast by the various tents and crates would provide some cover as they made their way to the chopper. A storm was brewing; thunder rumbling in the distance. The noise had already worked to their advantage, covering the sounds of the fight with the guard. With any luck, Lee hoped it would also help mask the initial sounds of their escape.

Stealthily creeping out of the tent, the three agents had made their way across the compound to where the helicopter was kept. They had almost reached their destination when the sound of shouting erupted. Their escape had been noticed.

"Marcus, run and get the chopper warmed up!" Lee commanded. "I'll hold them off here and then we'll make a break for it." Lee had protectively shoved Amanda behind some crates. He crouched in front of her, using the gun he had taken from the guard to provide Marcus with some cover as the man made his way to the helicopter.

Once the chopper was ready to take off, Lee and Amanda had left the relative safety of the crates and raced across the open field. Lee had continued to fire randomly over his shoulder as they ran. Suddenly, his foot caught in a pot hole and he fell to the ground. He started to get up but his injured leg gave out on him.

Amanda must have heard him fall for she had stopped and run back towards him.

"Run! Get in the chopper. Go, go! Don't wait for me!" Lee had commanded, fear filling him at the thought of her being recaptured.

Of course, she never followed instructions and had half dragged him into the chopper. They had taken off, to the sound of bullets hitting the side of the small craft. Lee had barely been inside and Amanda's feet had still been resting on the runners. He had used what seemed to be the last of his strength to haul her inside.

With danger behind them, Lee had breathed a sigh of relief. Amanda, still shaking, had stared at the blood running down Lee's leg. She had muttered something about a first aid kit and turned to rummage around in back when the chopper pitched to the left. Losing her balance, she had fallen heavily on Lee's injured leg.

ADamn it, Marcus Lee had yelled through clenched teeth. AWho the hell taught you to fly?

"Air force," he'd shouted back. "But this storm isn't going to make for a pretty ride."

Lee had grunted in acknowledgment of the worsening weather conditions, and helped Amanda right herself.

"Amanda, you'd better hang on tight," Lee warned her. "We'll worry about first aid once we're safely on the ground."

"I thought Billy said this was supposed to be like a vacation," she reminded him, while trying to brace herself.

"You mean you're not having fun?" He'd asked her with fake wonder.

The helicopter lurched to the side again and Amanda had given a cry of surprise, falling sideways into Lee's lap again. He heaved her up and wrapped his arms around her.

"No, I'm not having fun!" She answered his earlier question. "I've been tied up, pawed by a Neanderthal with bad breath, hit, kicked, shot at and bounced about in a helicopter. You've been pistol whipped, stabbed, shot at and you're bleeding all over yourself and me. Just for once, I'd like us to have a nice quiet assignment with no one trying to kill us."

As the sound of the storm increased, her voice had risen to a shout in order to be heard. Lee tightened his grip around her and pressed his lips to her ear so she could hear his words.

"I know, I know," he soothed. "I couldn't stand seeing that man touch you and I don't particularly like being stabbed and shot at either but it's part of the job."

A bright flash of lightning was immediately followed by a loud crack of thunder. Amanda cowered closer to Lee, burying her face in his neck. "I don't think I like 'the job' very much right now," she had whimpered. "I just wish we could..."

Her sentence had never been finished as Marcus gave a shout,

"Crap! We're losing fuel! They must have hit the fuel line. Hang on – I'm going to have to set her down! Can either of you see anything below? We need to find an open area in the trees."

The three agents frantically scanned the ground below. The heavy rain made it difficult to see and it was only a fortuitous flash of lightning that had allowed Lee to notice a small clearing.

"Over there, Marcus! I think I saw something." Another lightning flash illuminated their tentative landing pad again.

"Okay, Lee! Good work! Brace yourselves. I'm going to try to set it down easy but with this wind, I can't guarantee anything."

Marcus had done his best but a last minute gust had pushed the small craft into the trees. Lee could recall the terrible crashing sound as the blades of the propeller had hit and severed branches, ripping them from the tree trunks. The windshield shattered and the metal body of the vessel had groaned as it tipped and crumpled to an abrupt stop. Lee's last recollection was a sense of flying sideways across the interior of the helicopter and trying to grab hold of the seat, while keeping an arm around Amanda.

Lee had regained consciousness when Marcus had dragged him from the wreck. Watery sunshine had streamed through the cracked glass of the chopper. It was morning. The storm was over and they were alive.

"Hang on there, Lee." Marcus had grunted as he manoeuvred the bigger man to the ground.

Lee nearly passed out as waves of pain radiated from his shoulder despite Marcus' best efforts to move him gently. After being lowered to the ground, Lee took several deep breaths and willed his stomach to not give in to the nauseated feelings washing over him. He glanced around and saw Amanda lying a few feet away.

"How is she?" Lee asked.

"Unconscious. Head wound— I've cleaned it as best as I can. Her hand has a nasty cut from the crash. Metal, maybe from the door, sliced it open real good. I've cleaned it and wrapped. It could have used stitches but…" Marcus shrugged. "You took the worst of it. There's that cut on your leg and the bump on your head from when that goon knocked you out. Your newest injury is that your shoulder's dislocated – I'm going to try to pull it back into place."

"You know what you're doing?" Lee asked warily.

"Yeah. I've seen it done. Even had it done to myself once. It's going to hurt like hell. You'll probably pass out."

"Great." Lee felt even sicker at the very thought of what was to come.

"Listen, before I do this. I want you to know my plan. If you pass out, I won't be waiting around for you to come to." Marcus began. "The radio's useless and I don't think anyone will find us here, so I'm going to have to go for help. I'm a bit banged up but in better shape than you two. With that leg of yours, you'll not make it too far and I don't know what condition Amanda will be in when she wakes up. It will better if you stay here. I'll travel faster by myself. I'm going to head East down the mountain. There should be a roadway and hopefully I can get a ride into town and call Billy."

Lee nodded in acknowledgment. Both he and Amanda needed medical attention. They were in no shape for hiking through the wooded hills and for all three of them to sit, waiting for rescue ... The odds weren't in their favour.

Marcus continued, "I've taken some supplies for myself and set water and rations over there for you." He indicated an area a few feet away. "There's a stream just beyond this clearing, in case the water runs out and I've made a bit of a shelter with the branches that got ripped off the trees when the chopper came down. You and Amanda should be okay until I can return with some help. With any luck, I'll be back within less than 48 hours. Oh, and here," he shoved a handgun and a clip of ammunition into Lee's hand. "I found two guns in the back of the chopper. I'm taking the other one. You keep this one with you, just in case."

Lee met the other man's eyes. "Will I need it? Will they be looking for us?"

"Maybe. Do you know David Riley?"

"Yeah – I've had a few run-ins with him before. He's a small time player with delusions of grandeur."

"Well, he's just recently joined up with our 'friends' and, he recognized you. While we were being held in that tent, I overheard him talking with some of the others about the money they could get for you, if they found the right buyer. I don't know if Riley will be able to convince the rest of the group to look for you, or if they'll just make a run for it. I hate to leave you guys alone but..."

"It's okay - your going for help is our best chance." Lee had refused to acknowledge the sinking feeling in his stomach at the thought of the only able bodied person leaving. The two men had spent a few more moments exchanging intelligence about the case, knowing that if something happened to either one of them, the remaining agent would then have the needed data to pass on to the Agency and complete the mission.

"Okay," Lee said. "Let's get this arm taken care of so you can get on your way." Lee had tried to help Marcus slip the shirt down his injured arm but hadn't been much use.

Marcus had been correct. It had hurt like hell and Lee had passed out. The agent's heavily muscled shoulder had not wanted to cooperate with plans to relocate it and Lee's last recollection was of sickening pain.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Lee gave himself a mental shake and refocused his eyes on Amanda who sat quietly beside him. Obviously, Marcus had finished the gruesome job, wrapped his arm to his chest to keep the shoulder immobilized and then gone on his way, according to plan. He must have left before Amanda had awoken as she hadn't mentioned another person.

"Is there anyone else here?" He asked, just to be sure.

"No, I don't think so." She looked around. "Just us."

"All right then," Lee began to explain. "There was another person with us named Marcus but he left to get help before you woke up. I'm not sure how long he's been gone but I suspect we have quite a while to wait. In the meantime, I guess we need to get organized."

He quickly surveyed his own injuries and concluded that the bump on his head was negligible. It had probably bled like anything, but wasn't really a factor. He ran his hand down his leg to where he had been slashed and eased the bandage back. The knife wound already appeared to be a bit infected and Lee decided to check the first aid kit for whatever antiseptic he could find. His shoulder hurt like the devil and only having one useful arm would slow him down but, things could be worse. At least they were alive.

Careful to not jar his shoulder, Lee made it to his feet, wincing as his leg protested the action. Amanda stood as well, swaying slightly. He reached out to steady her and she smiled gratefully at him. He looked at her questioningly.

"Just a little dizzy," she reassured him with a smile. "What are we going to do?"

"First, we're going to check the shelter that I remember Marcus telling me about and then I'm going to survey the area and we'll gather some wood to start a fire." He squinted up at the sun. "It looks to be mid-afternoon. By nightfall, it could be getting cold." They had been slowly walking towards a small lean-to made of branches, near the edge of the clearing.

"Oh, I never noticed this earlier!" Amanda exclaimed. "It's so cute and," she carefully peered inside. "Just the right size for the two of us."

"If you say so." Lee looked at her sideways. Cute wasn't the word that came to his mind and it would be a tight fit for both of them to stretch out in it but at least Amanda wasn't worrying about sleeping arrangements like she usually did.

"We'll build a fire here." He indicated a spot a distance from the shelter. "Can you make a bit of a fire pit? I'll go get the lay of the land and gather some wood for kindling."

Lee skirted the clearing in agent mode, looking for sources of food, water, shelter and any vantage point that would allow them to keep watch for surprise visitors. He noted the stream that could just be seen in the distance. 'Good,' he thought, 'a source of water in case Marcus doesn't make it back before the bottles of water run out. And,' contemplating his sticky body and filthy clothes, 'someplace to clean up.'

The trees around them were tall and straight with only a few lower limbs. They would be difficult to climb and he hoped they wouldn't have to try. He doubted they would have to worry about predators of the animal kind. The human ones— that was another story. With any luck the group of radicals wouldn't hunt for them. Most members of that faction would want to try to quickly break camp, liquidate assets and attempt to disappear. Lee smiled grimly. Little did they know that he and Marcus had managed to identify several of the key players. This, along with the intelligence that Marcus had gathered, would allow the Agency to apprehend and convict the radicals of illegal arms dealing.

The presence of David Riley was what worried him. Did the man have enough pull within the group to get a manhunt started? Riley was a slime ball with his hands into drugs, prostitution and illegal gambling. Last time Lee had dealt with him, Riley was just a two-bit criminal trying to work his way up the ladder. Apparently, he'd managed to scale a few rungs since their last encounter.

Lee moved onward and limped a few hundred feet up the gently sloping land until he came to the top of the rise. He looked back where he had come from. The thick trees almost obscured his view of the crash site and it was only through careful surveillance that he was able to make out Amanda's movements.

Looking ahead, Lee was provided with a relatively good view of the area to the west of them. The land sloped downward and the trees were much sparser. He could see for over a mile so it would be difficult for anyone to sneak up on them from this side. From this vantage point they'd have lots of warning if someone was approaching. He scanned for signs of movement but all was still. Maybe Riley hadn't been able to rally any of the group behind him and there would be no pursuit.

Making his way back towards the camp, Lee attempted to gather a few sticks but found the repeated bending to be too difficult. He cursed in frustration and pain as the throbbing in his shoulder began to invade his consciousness. Leaning against a tree trunk, he took calming breaths and once again focused on bringing the discomfort under control.

As his body and mind stilled, he became acutely aware of his surroundings. The air was fresh and richly oxygenated from the abundance of trees. The smell of pine and cedar rose from the ground where his feet had crushed the needles lying on the forest floor. Silence reigned, broken only by the occasional call of a bird. Gently a breeze whispered by, stirring the strands of hair that hung on his forehead, helping to dry the beads of sweat that had started to form.

Lee absorbed his peaceful surroundings. He could feel his muscles relax and the tension ease from his clenched jaw and fists. His breathing became slower and more rhythmic and his heart rate calmed. He needed to control his response to the situation. Anger and frustration weren't useful. Lee ruefully acknowledged that the next while wouldn't be easy for him. He didn't like admitting a weakness. Realizing that he would be dependent on Amanda went against his basic nature. He was used to being the provider, the protector, the comforter. Changing roles with his partner would take some getting used to.

With this bit of self awareness under his belt, Lee began his journey back to the crash site. Along the way, he found a sturdy stick. It would suffice as a makeshift cane, easing some of the strain on his injured leg.

As he entered the clearing, Amanda was just finishing the fire pit. She'd managed to scrape away the dried leaves and grass and had created a shallow pit. A ring of small stones was arranged around the edge.

"The Junior Trailblazers would be proud of you," he quipped.

"Trailblazers?" she asked.

"Yeah, you know...or I guess you don't know. That must be something else you don't remember." He paused and considered explaining but then changed his mind. "Look Amanda... I'll fill you in on some of the things you seem to have forgotten, once we get this fire going. You'll have to collect some more wood. With this arm, I'm not of much use."

"All right," Amanda agreed. "Maybe we can make our way together to that little stream over there. I can almost see it just beyond the trees. We can get cleaned up a bit and then gather some wood on our way back."

"Good idea. Then we'll sit and talk."

Lee watched as Amanda quickly dug through the duffel bag and pulled out a pair of socks which she declared would be their wash clothes. As they walked along she explained. "You know, it doesn't really bother me— not remembering. I guess it should— but it doesn't." She lapsed into a reflective silence.

Lee watched her from the corner of his eye, puzzling at her calm acceptance of the situation. He wracked his brain, trying to recall facts about amnesia and recommended treatments. There was no doubt that the bump on her head must be the cause. Hopefully, as the swelling went down, her memory would return. In the meantime, he'd just update her on a few key facts and then see what developed from there.

Upon reaching the stream, they found that it was just a small trickle but, if they travelled about a hundred yards further upstream, it widened slightly— not deep enough for bathing but sufficient for splashing off. Amanda wet one sock and handed it to Lee who gratefully wiped off his face and neck while she did the same.

Lee undid the two buttons of his shirt that Marcus must have fastened after resetting his shoulder. He let the shirt slide down his good arm and gave an irritated grunt as it caught at his wrist.

"Let me help," Amanda offered, pulling the offending garment off. She took the sock washcloth, dipped it back into the water and sponged off the parts of Lee's chest and back that she could, carefully trying to not wet the wrappings.

"Thanks," Lee's voice was not quite steady. She was rhythmically stroking his back, his neck, his stomach... The feelings evoked by Amanda slowly washing his torso were very...stimulating. He cleared his throat. "That feels a lot better...getting the sweat washed off, that is."

Amanda helped him put his shirt back over his free arm and then buttoned it up over top of the other. The empty sleeve swung at his side and she rolled it up a bit to keep it out of the way.

"My turn now," Amanda said, and started to remove her shirt.

Lee swallowed hard and then quickly turned away, saying, "I'll just take a short walk down stream a bit to see if there's any sign of what route Marcus took."

"Okay, I'll only be a moment." Amanda was softly humming to herself, obviously revelling in the feel of the cool, cleansing water and unaware of his discomfort.

A few minutes later, Amanda appeared at Lee's side with some bits of firewood that she had gathered. Together they made their way back to the makeshift campsite.

Amanda laid the wood out to start a small fire while Lee found some matches in with the supplies Marcus had left behind. He briefly wondered where the other man might be and hoped his journey was swift and safe. Marcus' footprints had been evident in the damp soil by the stream but had then veered off through the trees.

Once the fire was started, Amanda sat close beside Lee and leaned slightly against him, resting her head on his good shoulder and wrapping her hands around his arm.

She softly sighed. "Isn't this perfect?"

"Perfect isn't exactly the word that pops into my head." He withdrew his arm from her grasp and busied his hand by poking the small fire with a stick.

Undeterred, Amanda left her head on his shoulder and elaborated. "I mean, it's so peaceful here. Just you and me. A fire to warm us. No one to bother us –almost like a vacation." She lifted her head, planted a slow, warm kiss on his cheek and then settled back beside him.

Lee froze in place at the feel of her soft lips on his face. 'Oh boy,' thought Lee. 'This is not Amanda - at least not my Amanda - or not the Amanda I work with everyday. This is ...well, it's an Amanda I've dreamed about but....' He refused to let his thoughts continue any further down that slippery slope. He cleared his throat and eased himself away from her. She sat up, grimaced slightly, and wrapped her arm around her ribs.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

"Amanda," Lee began. "We have to talk. It's obvious that you have some memory loss—amnesia of some sort, probably due to the bump on your head. It might be helpful if I fill you in on a few facts about yourself—and us—and the mission we were on."

"All right" Amanda answered a bit slowly, as if unsure about what she might hear.

Lee, having determined a course of action, didn't look her way, but stared at the crackling fire and began.

"You and I are intelligence operatives or 'spies' for lack of a better term. We work for the Agency - a secret intelligence operation sort of like the FBI or CIA but more covert. Our mission was to collect information from another agent named Marcus but something went wrong and all three of us were captured." He paused and decided to skip over the abuse she had endured. It would just upset her and she didn't need anything else to deal with at the moment.

He covered the pause in his recount with a little cough. "We managed to escape but in the struggle I got this knife wound to my leg. Then, just as we managed to get out of the camp in a helicopter we had stolen, a storm broke, we ran out of fuel and crash landed here. Marcus pulled us both out of the wreck, patched us up and then went for help. " Lee concluded the tale and looked over at Amanda. "Does any of this sound familiar?"

Amanda was slowly rocking back and forth by his side. Her face was pale and her breath was uneven. She seemed to be staring ahead at nothing.

"Amanda? Are you okay? Do you remember any of this?"

"Some," she finally choked out. "I see pictures - just bits and pieces – but there's gun fire and I'm running and...Oh my gosh! Your falling down and I'm so scared. Then I see you look up at me and you're telling me to run but I can't...it's like my feet are frozen to the ground and then...I'm running back towards the guns and I grab you and ...somehow you're up. I'm pushing you into the helicopter. Someone's yelling 'Get this thing up' and it's lifting off the ground and we're barely inside! I can feel the ground sort of falling away beneath my feet. Then I'm pulling myself into the helicopter but I feel myself slipping...I don't have enough strength or a good enough grip and then...." She broke off, tears streaming down her face. "Oh Lee, I remember feeling so scared! We could have died!"

"But we didn't," Lee put his good arm around her shoulder and squeezed comfortingly. "We didn't and we're here now. A little banged up but safe." Amanda sniffed and nodded. "Did anything else strike a chord in your memory?"

"No. Not really."

"Oh...Well, maybe more will come in a little while." Lee rubbed her back and decided that a change in topic might be a good idea. He was unsure of how far to push her. Could too much pressure or too much information be damaging? Damn- he should have listened more carefully to Pfaff's psycho-babble. Choosing a neutral subject, he attempted to shift her focus away from the past. "Let's have something to eat. It must be getting near supper time and I'm a bit hungry."

Amanda gave him a watery smile and together they dug through the supplies, finding granola bars, some little packages of cheese and crackers, instant coffee, canned peaches, and trail mix.

"We can be thankful that whoever owned this chopper had the foresight to have some food and water stored." Lee said. "We won't be full but neither will we go hungry."

They ate some of the granola bars and then the peaches, using their fingers to fish the slices out and then drinking the juice. Thankfully the tins were the pull top variety as there wasn't a knife or can opener to be had. As they ate, Lee told Amanda about the lookout area at the top of the bluff. He explained that there was a chance that the radical group would be looking for them and they'd need to keep checking, just in case. Lee calculated that if they checked about every hour during the daylight, they'd have sufficient time to escape should they see anyone coming.

Amanda, being her ever resourceful self, decided that the peach tins could be used as little cups to boil water. She made Lee stay sitting and, after scrounging around the wreckage of the helicopter, found some pieces of metal that could be used to form a grate over the fire. They put water in the peach tins, placed it on the grate and heated it for coffee. Having no cups, they also drank from the tins, which was easier said than done as the metal was so hot. The problem was solved by wrapping a sock around each can as a 'pot holder.'

"Not Emilio's but under the circumstances, it was mighty tasty," Lee said.

"I love it when we go to Emilio's," Amanda mused.

"Hey, you remembered something," Lee grinned over at his partner.

"I guess I did," Amanda smiled. "I can see you across the table from me. There's candle light and music and ... Oh darn, it's gone now."

"Don't worry. I'm sure you'll remember more by time morning comes," Lee reassured her.

"It's okay. Like I said before, I don't really care. I sort of feel like I'm on a rather strange holiday —no cares, no worries— everything is sort of pleasantly fuzzy. I guess that isn't very responsible of me is it?"

"Well...it isn't really your normal attitude. Usually you're racing around with way too many responsibilities and no time for yourself. You know, just before we crashed, you were saying that you really wanted a break. I guess your mind is granting your wish!" Lee reasoned.

She stretched a bit and winced in pain. "I don't think I wished for this battered, bruised feeling."

"No, I'm sure you didn't. Listen, let's get the first aid kit, cleanse and treat our wounds and then settle down for the night. The sun's going to start to set and I want to check for signs of infection while we still have some good light." Lee pulled the kit to where they were sitting, found some antiseptic, bandages and antibiotic cream.

"Let me check out your head wound first." He turned Amanda's head so that he could see the cut on her temple. He gently cleansed it, applied cream and then tenderly touched the lump on her forehead. "Can't do much about that," he said. "How is your side?"

"Okay - sore, but if I move carefully it's okay."

Lee gently took her hand in his. "I can't unwrap this one handed, so you'll have to help me." Together they loosened the bandages and Lee peered at the cut. The skin around it was slightly pink. "I'll pour a bit of antiseptic on this in case there's any infection, but it's going to sting," he warned. She hissed slightly in pain as he went about his task and then they worked as a team to apply a fresh bandage.

Still holding her hand, he looked up at her saying, "I'm sorry that I had to hurt you..." His voice trailed off as he found himself staring into her eyes, their faces much closer together than he had expected. He found himself drowning in a sea of deep chocolate brown and suddenly realized that he was leaning towards her. Lee quickly dropped her hand and straightened. "I'll just do the cut on my leg."

"Oh, I'll get it," Amanda offered. "With this hand freshly bandaged, I'm almost as good as new!" She carefully loosened the bandages on his thigh, frowning at the reddened skin. "My turn to be the mean doctor," she quipped, disinfecting the area while Lee stoically watched. She then smoothed the soothing antibiotic cream onto his flesh.

Lee watched mesmerized as her fingers glided back and forth on his thigh. A slight shiver went through his body and he took a steadying breath. He tried to concentrate on the crackling fire but it was another fire that kept drawing his attention. A stirring in his loins caused him to reach out and put his hand over hers. "I think," he paused and cleared his voice, "that's enough antibiotic."

"Yes," she said in a slightly husky voice, "I'd better save some for tomorrow. I'll just put a dab on your head." She moved to sit directly in front on him, lifted his hair and dealt with the small wound. They applied a fresh bandage to his leg and put the supplies away.

Together they walked to the top of the bluff and scanned the land before them. All was still—there was no sign of anyone. The breeze was picking up just a little and the air was starting to cool. A few crickets were beginning their nightly chorus and an owl hooted in the distance. The setting sun was painting the sky with yellow and orange. Amanda wished they could stay and watch it, but agreed with Lee that it would be best if they made their way back to the camp while there was still sufficient light to see.

Amanda banked the fire and then proceeded to the small shelter Marcus had left them. Lee looked at the tiny space and asked, "Are you okay with this? It's going to be tight quarters. I can sleep out here by the fire."

"Don't be silly, Lee." Amanda carefully crawled into the shelter, and inched over to the side. She patted the ground beside her. "There's plenty of room."

Lee eased into the small space and arranged himself as comfortably as he could. Amanda scooted up beside him and he started to draw away, but she admonished him saying, "Lee, stay put! You know I like to sleep with my head on your shoulder. You'd think we'd never slept together before!"

Startled, he turned to look at her. She leaned towards him, gave him a slow, passionate kiss, winked and said, "We're not in good enough shape for anything else tonight, are we? Good night, my love." With that, she lay down, closed her eyes, and drifted off to sleep with a slight smile on her face.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Lee lay stiffly at her side for quite awhile. He went over and over that conversation. Had she really said, "You'd think we'd never slept together before!" Yes, he had heard correctly. He wouldn't imagine something like that. Neither had he imagined her saying, "Good night, my love." And the "We're not in good enough shape for anything else tonight, are we?" Well, he could only interpret that one way!

He touched his lips with the tip of his tongue. The taste of her kiss was still there and the sensation of her soft, warm lips moving against his came rushing back to taunt him. Carefully, Lee turned his head and gazed down at the woman sleeping beside him. In the tight confines of the lean-to, her scent drifted up until he felt he was surrounded by her presence. His heart beat began to quicken and he fought the urge to touch her. Calm logic was needed—he disciplined his thoughts into analyzing the situation rather than reacting to it.

What was going on with Amanda? He knew that the two of them were growing closer. They were best friends. More than best friends actually, but they had never gone beyond that point. He sensed that they were both ready to take the next step but neither of them seemed to know what it might be. Or, more precisely, they knew what the next step was, but didn't dare take it. Fear of the unknown had their relationship frozen. For his part, he didn't know if he dared to openly admit his feelings. Caring had always been followed by loss in his experience. And Amanda, well...he wasn't sure what held her back. She had been married and divorced. He suspected she carried some baggage from that experience.

But now, Amanda was snuggling up to him. Kissing him. Making suggestive comments. Unbuttoning her blouse, for heaven's sake! Granted, she had amnesia but this was really out of character for her. He couldn't respond to her ... well he could—quite easily actually. It wasn't as if his mind hadn't gone down that road as of late. Often he'd catch himself staring at Amanda, noticing her bright smile, her deep brown eyes... Eyes you could get lost in... Her long legs... He'd dreamed about those legs. How they would feel wrapped around him...Whoa! Don't go there, Scarecrow, he warned himself. Not with her lying beside you!

Amanda was his partner, his best friend and, if he was being completely honest, he desired her as well. But it was only in his fantasies that he dared cross the line—oh and how that line was crossed! Increasingly erotic fantasies were plaguing him at the office, in the car...He'd wake up sweating from dreams of the two of them naked, their bodies moving together...Lee gave himself a mental shake. This was not the time to be recalling his fantasies.

Yes, he wanted her physically but it was more than that. He wanted her in his life, not just his bed, but he wasn't sure in what way or what to do about it. She was a beautiful, sexy woman, but not blatant in the way that his usual lady friends were. This was a subtle sexiness, a real inner beauty that owed nothing to clothes or make-up or false personality. Amanda was genuine and, for all of his experience, he didn't know how to deal with that.

Amanda wasn't one for a quick romp in bed. If they became involved on a physical level, it would mean opening himself up to her, being committed to a long term relationship, becoming part of a family. Lee didn't know if he could do that and he cared too much for Amanda to start something with her that he couldn't finish. He might have a well deserved reputation as a ladies man but he also had a deep sense of integrity and he never led a woman on - he made sure they understood the rules.

Beside him, Amanda gave a little sigh and wiggled her body closer to his. He stared at her sleeping face and wondered what was going on in her head. He had several theories about her feelings towards him.

In the beginning, she had hero-worshipped him and been dazzled by the dashing, sophisticated Scarecrow. Later, she had seen him more realistically and had started to discover the man behind the code name. What surprised him the most was that she seemed to prefer Lee Stetson over the Scarecrow. She took the time to try to break down the barriers he had built around himself. She put up with his moods and stood behind him even when he pushed her away. For some reason, Amanda King had latched onto him and had hung on, seeing something in him that most people never bothered to search for.

It amazed Lee to find out that, the more Amanda poked and prodded and cajoled him into sharing, the more he enjoyed it. By giving a little bit of himself to her, he seemed to receive back ten-fold. This feeling of closeness with another human being was new to him, but he liked it. It seemed to give him a sense of belonging, warmth, a fullness in the region of his heart that he hadn't experienced since childhood when his mother would wrap him in her loving arms. The more he shared of himself with Amanda, the happier he felt.

His encounters with other women had begun to seem pointless. A bit of fun, the release of sexual tension....It was fleeting and left him cold and empty, craving what only Amanda seemed to give to him. His black books had been mostly abandoned as of late. It wasn't worth the effort to make plans with other women when he could be spending time with Amanda and she seemed to feel the same way. She always had time for him and willingly rearranged her schedule whenever he asked.

Lee knew Amanda cared for him as a friend—a very good friend. He knew she found him physically attractive. That was nothing new. But lately, he had felt her watching him when she thought he wasn't aware. He had caught glimpses of emotion in her eyes and expressions on her face ....or maybe they had always been there and he had just never taken the time to notice. Their relationship had grown over the years and he suspected that they were both ready to move ahead but who would take the risk and make the first move?

Had fate, in the form of a helicopter crash, taken matters out of their hands? Had amnesia removed Amanda's inhibitions so that she was doing and saying what she had always wanted to do? Did she secretly fantasize about him and wish to sleep with him? Did she really think of him as 'my love'?

But, a voice in his head countered. What if this wasn't truly 'his Amanda' but rather some alter-ego that was acting contrary to her real feelings? When she finally regained her memory, she'd be upset by her words and actions. If he responded in the manner that he would like to, she would feel betrayed. Best friends didn't do that to each other.

Lee sighed. He'd have to take the high-road, withstand the temptation she was presenting and try to make her see that, despite what she might be thinking and feeling at the moment, this wasn't the 'reality' of their present relationship. He shifted uncomfortably on the ground. Amanda's warm breath against his neck, combined with his recent thoughts, was causing his pants to fit uncomfortably snug all of the sudden. It looked like it would be a long night.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Despite his misgivings, Lee managed to fall into a deep sleep, his body needing the down time to begin the healing process. His thoughts from the night before played out in his unconscious mind. He dreamed of Amanda trailing kisses across his face, her hands on his body, running across his chest and teasing down his stomach. Her hot mouth covered his and her tongue darted between his lips. Their tongues duelled while her hand slipped below his navel, gently caressing his...

Lee's eyes shot open and found Amanda leaning over him, her hand gently cupping the growing bulge in his pants as she gave him another lingering kiss before moving away.

"Amanda! What are you doing?" Lee asked in a shocked voice.

"Just waking up my husband," she giggled, glancing down at his body. "But I don't think you're quite 'up' yet." She trailed a finger down the middle of his stomach and then looked at him. "There really isn't enough room in this lean-to for a proper wake-up is there? Oh well, I just wanted you to know that I'm going down to the stream to wash up." She started to exit the shelter and added with a grin, "Since I provided the wake-up call, maybe my adoring husband could start the fire and boil water for coffee while I'm gone, hmm?" With that, she grabbed a T-shirt that she must have found in the duffel bag, and sauntered off towards the stream.

Lee lay there, feeling stunned. What a way to wake up, he thought. Then her words came back to him: "Just waking up my husband..." How had she gotten that idea? It would certainly explain how 'friendly' she was acting but... Suddenly an idea popped into his head. For the assignment, they had been using their 'married couple' cover. He brought a mental image of Amanda to his mind and frowned in concentration. Yes, he was quite sure she was still wearing the fake wedding ring. He hadn't given it a thought yesterday. There were too many other things on his mind and when he had given her a brief synopsis of their background, he hadn't mentioned the faux-marriage.

He carefully exited the shelter, resolving to straighten things out as soon as she returned. His shoulder and leg protested his movement as he tried to stand, having stiffened over night. Experimentally he moved his limbs, tentatively stretching to get the kinks out. His leg was the worst, aching and warm to the touch. He had a headache too—damn but he felt crappy! The only good thing was that his shoulder wasn't throbbing quite as much as yesterday. Maybe some coffee would help. Lee slowly moved to start the fire, put some water on to boil in the peach tins and then stared at the meagre food supply. Cheese and crackers or trail mix? Breakfast wasn't his favourite meal on a good day so he decided to give it a pass. He made some instant coffee and drank a bit while surveying his surroundings.

Amanda was right. It was a beautiful setting - if you could ignore the bruises, bandages and the wrecked helicopter off to the side. The sky was blue, with only a few clouds in the distance. He stared at the white shapes and hoped they wouldn't develop into rain. The weather had been unseasonably wet this year and he didn't want to test how waterproof their shelter was.

Since Amanda wasn't back yet, Lee grabbed his makeshift cane and slowly made his way up the bluff to check for signs that they were being hunted. The sun was just rising and, with the exception of some birds and squirrels, there was no movement. He breathed a sigh of relief. If Riley's gang hadn't come yet, it was quite likely they never would. He hobbled back down to the camp, centring his mind and trying to suppress the pain in his leg. It was more difficult to focus today but he managed to gain some control.

Looking in the direction of the stream, he wondered how long Amanda had been gone. He'd finished his first coffee, done a brief bit of 'look-out duty' and thought she should be back by now. Maybe he should check on her. She did have that head wound... or she could have slipped on a rock. Lee headed down to the stream, then followed the sound of faint humming until he came to its source. He paused, enchanted at the sight before him.

Carefully sluicing water over her face, Amanda was crouched beside the tiny stream, clad only in her silken panties. Frozen, Lee stood watching the play of light across her back as her arms moved from her face, to the stream and then carried water back up in cupped hands. His imagination went into overdrive. The water would be dripping across her face then running down her slender neck and then lower still, across her pert breasts...Lee shifted uncomfortably. He felt like a Peeping Tom and took a step back to leave. A twig snapped under his foot and Amanda's head swivelled in his direction.

"Lee." She rose and came towards him.

For a moment Lee stood mesmerized by the vision walking towards him. His gaze took in her creamy white skin, the sway of her hips, the faint jiggle of her naked breasts. Swallowing hard, he forced himself to turn away from her and stare resolutely at the trees. "I was just checking if you were okay. You'd been gone quite awhile..."

"That was sweet of you, darling." She wrapped her arms around his waist.

"You're all wet." He tried to protest as the dampness from her skin soaked into the back of his shirt.

"Hmm but you can help me dry off," Amanda teased, circling so that she was standing in front of him, rubbing her damp breasts against him.

Lee nervously cleared his throat. "I..." He never got to finish his thought as hot wet lips locked onto his. She ran her hand through his hair, pulling him closer as she ground her mouth against his. Her eager tongue pushed between his lips and plunged into his mouth, avidly exploring every inch of him. A low moan emitted from his throat as the passion, ignited earlier that morning, quickly flamed again. Dropping his walking stick, he wrapped his one good arm around her and pressed her closer.

Her tongue retreated encouraging him to follow. He took control of the kiss, sucking and nipping before tenderly soothing with his tongue. Lee then slid in more deeply, exploring the warm wet recesses of her mouth. He savoured the unique taste of his partner. Vaguely he thought that their cover kisses had never been like this...

Finally breaking apart for air, Amanda drew in a breath and then began nibbling along Lee's jaw and up to his ear. Her hot breath sent a shiver down his spine and he couldn't recall ever feeling this aroused so quickly. His hand ran gently up and down her back and then moved to cup and caress her breast. Testing the weight in his hand, his thumb rubbed back and forth over her nipple, causing it to peak. Amanda purred in appreciation and pressed herself nearer.

"Lee," she whispered in his ear, "I want you so badly. I have to feel you against me, inside of me— I ache for you." She ran her hands frantically up and down his body, cupping and squeezing his buttocks before pressing him closer. Her hips moved against his and Lee couldn't control the answering thrust of his own. Amanda licked and nipped her way from his ear to his chin to his lips. "I don't know if it's the setting or the amnesia but something is acting like an aphrodisiac. It's like I've never made love to you before and I have to know what it's like right now." She slid her hands along his waist and began to slowly unzip his pants. "I need my husband," she breathed into his mouth as she began another soul shattering kiss.

Husband - the word broke through Lee's desire fogged mind and he forced himself to step back, his hand gripping her waist, trying to push her body away from his.

"Amanda, we can't" he groaned. She resisted his efforts to stop and tried to pull his head closer.

"No. I know this is hard....."

"Not hard enough," she teased, reaching down to gently squeeze his growing erection.

"No," he said again, with a bit more conviction. He disentangled himself from her and quickly stepped away, nearly losing his balance as his leg protested the movement. He stared into her questioning eyes. "We can't, Amanda. Not like this."

"But Lee," she interrupted, frustration evident in her voice, "Why? I need you! I love you! What's wrong?"

Lee briefly glanced down at her body, the sight of the bruises on her torso helping him keep his resolve. She'd been through a lot—she didn't know what she was doing. He met her eyes again, "Manda, believe me. This is as difficult for me as it is for you but there are things you need to know." He gave her a quick, gentle kiss on her brow and brushed his hand across her cheek. "Get dressed and we'll talk back at camp."

"Lee, please..." she begged catching his hand.

"Amanda! I said no!" He abruptly pulled his hand away, fighting against his own desires. His frustration made his voice harsher than he intended and the hurt look on her face caused his heart ache. He watched her bottom lip tremble as she struggled to hold back tears and had to stop himself from reaching out to her. Instead, he turned and limped away.

*****

Amanda stood with her arms wrapped around her cooling body, her head shaking side to side. She allowed the tears she'd been holding back to slide down her face. Why would her husband walk away from her? He wanted her. She knew he did. The physical evidence of his desire was undeniable. Why was he angry with her? Torn between sadness, frustration and puzzlement, she walked back to the stream and started to get dressed.

Her hands paused as she began to button the waistband of her pants. She gently traced the bruising on her side. It looked worse than yesterday as the bruises became more apparent but wasn't quite as painful. Amanda's eyes lighted on the faint silvery marks across her stomach and she trailed her fingers across them. Stretch marks? From a pregnancy? A memory stirred - children. She had children! An image of two boys flashed into her mind. A smile crossed her face. She and Lee had a family. Perhaps, he was worried about them and that was the problem... Where were their boys? They wouldn't have taken them on a mission but then who was caring for them? She picked up the walking stick that Lee had left behind and headed back to camp, chewing her lip in worry while she pondered where her children might be. The peaceful, idyllic feeling that had been her companion for the last day was slowly fading away. Somehow she knew that her interlude from reality was almost over.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Upon leaving Amanda, Lee fought an internal battle to quiet his desires. God, how he wanted her. He'd always known Amanda was a beautiful woman. There were always men buzzing about her but until recently he'd refused to let himself acknowledge that he too was aware of the fact. In all likelihood he would have eventually acted on his feelings but Amanda's amnesia and her subsequent actions had pushed the timetable ahead and he wasn't sure how to handle it. He already knew that, given the circumstances, he couldn't do what he wanted to do, which was to throw her on the ground and make mad, passionate, love to her.

'Make love'...where had that come from? It wasn't a term he usually used. He 'slept' with women or 'had sex' but the l-word never crossed his lips in case his partners got any ideas. So why was he using it now? He was fond of her...very fond, more than fond... She was his best friend but love? Did he actually love Amanda King? Maybe... it was a possibility. Lee recalled the conversation he'd had with himself last night: how he enjoyed spending time with her, how he felt he could 'open up' with her, the fact that he didn't use his black books anymore.....

Lee resolved to mull the idea over some more but for now he'd better concentrate on how to tell her that they weren't married. It didn't seem like the sort of thing you just blurted out to someone: 'Oh, by the way, despite the ring on your finger, I'm not your husband, so quit coming on to me or I won't be responsible for the consequences.' He cringed at the thought. He wasn't good with words. No, it was better to ease into the idea. Offer her a cup of coffee. Have a bit of breakfast and maybe talk about the weather. Then possibly he'd casually comment on the fact that she still had on that 'fake' wedding ring. She'd ask what he meant... Yep, that should work. Lee nodded in satisfaction, pleased with his plan.

By the time Amanda returned, Lee was sitting by the fire, a second cup of coffee in his hand. Amanda sat down beside him and he handed her some coffee as well.

"Careful," he warned. "Remember how hot these tins can get." She nodded and he passed her a pack of crackers and cheese. "Want some of these for breakfast?"

"Thanks," she smiled shyly at him.

Lee held onto the package a second longer than necessary and glanced at her hand. He schooled his face to look surprised, "I see you're still...."

"Lee, I remember about..."

They both spoke at the same time and paused, each giving the other a half smile.

"You go first," Lee offered, happy for a few minutes reprieve.

"All right," Amanda set down the crackers and then eagerly began to speak. "Lee, I remember our boys! I was getting dressed and I saw the stretch marks on my stomach and suddenly, I remembered! What are their names? How old are they? Who's taking care of them for us while we're gone?"

"_Our_ boys?" Lee was stunned. Of all of the things he thought Amanda might want to tell him, this was probably the last on his list. "Amanda, they're not ...I mean, well..." He paused and then began again. "Their names are Phillip and Jamie and you told me that your mother was watching them while you were gone but, Amanda...they're not 'our' boys." He looked her in the eye. "They're 'your' boys - not mine."

"Not yours? What do you mean? You're my husband. Of course, they're yours!" Her puzzlement was evident on her face.

"No, they're great kids but they aren't mine. Amanda, you're divorced from their father and their father isn't me." He took her hand gently in his, playing with the ring on her finger, not daring to meet her eyes. "This ring - it isn't real. You and I," he shook his head, "we're not married. This is just part of a cover that we play as part of our jobs." He looked up into her shocked face. "I'm sorry I didn't mention it sooner. I didn't realize until this morning that you thought..."

"No!" She tried to pull her hand away from his. "That's not true! It can't be true! Why are you saying this? Why are you trying to hurt me?" She tried to pull her hand away again, but he tightened his grip, trying desperately to convey his support and concern.

"Amanda, I don't want to hurt you but I can't let you believe something that isn't so."

"I...I feel things for you! Things I know I've never felt for anyone before. I wouldn't feel this way if we weren't..." She stared into his eyes as he shook his head. Tears began to roll down her face.

Lee felt like a heel. It was the second time this morning that he'd caused her to cry.

"Amanda, we're partners and friends. Very good friends—but that's all."

****

Amanda finally succeeded in pulling her hand away and stood, desperate to put some space between them. She stumbled as far as a nearby tree and leaned against it, her back to him. Her shoulders shook as she cried. She felt devastated. Her perfect world had been ripped apart. Lee didn't love her. He wasn't her husband. They weren't married. She was nothing but a co-worker. It was like getting a divorce all over again. A divorce...wasn't that just great? Lee didn't love her and neither did the father of her children. What was wrong with her that the men she cared about didn't reciprocate her feelings? She wondered what other awful surprises about herself were left to be revealed.

Amanda stared at the scenery in front of her. How could she have ever thought this was a beautiful location? It was just a bunch of trees and grass. There was nothing special about this place. It wasn't a quiet haven for herself and the man she loved because that love hadn't existed in the first place. It was all a lie—a lie she had managed to tell herself. Angrily she kicked at the ground and then bent to pick up a stick angrily twisting and bending it until it broke. She threw first once piece and then the next. It landed in a bush some distance away and a bird flew out, squawking in protest. "I know how you feel," she whispered, watching the bird fly to safety in a nearby tree. It chirped loudly letting her know its displeasure. As she stared at it, her anger dissipated. "Sorry—I've had a nasty surprise this morning too, but it's not fair to take it out on you."

She sighed and took several steadying breaths, wiping her hands across her tear streaked face. Amanda stared down at the ground, tucked her hands in her back pockets and forced herself to be calm. 'You've had your little moment now, Amanda King' she told herself. 'All these tears and anger won't change a thing.' She set her chin and squared her shoulders, striving to quell her feelings. 'You don't grieve for something that never was. For some unknown reason you thought and felt things that weren't true and now you have to deal with reality. You have to go back there, face Lee Stetson and apologize for the awkward situation you inadvertently placed him in.'

"Oh my gosh," she said out loud, suddenly reflecting on how she had been acting. She'd practically thrown herself at Lee, begging him to take her! She blushed thinking how she'd rubbed her wet naked breasts against him. And her hands...Had she really grabbed and fondled his crotch? She felt her face flushing. How could she ever face him? Mortified she stood twisting the ring on her finger and wondering what he must be thinking of her.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Back by the fire Lee sat watching his partner, wondering what internal turmoil she must be going through. What was she thinking? Should he leave her alone or try to talk to her? He wished he was better at dealing with emotions. He could take down a gunman and handle KGB interrogations with no problem. Making a presentation to the government or talking with diplomats and royalty didn't faze him in the least. Even disarming a bomb only caused him to break a sweat compared to how he felt when presented with tears. Female tears made him feel awkward and clumsy—afraid to do anything for fear of doing the wrong thing.

He'd tried his best to explain things gently but, judging by her reaction, he'd messed it up. Mentally berating himself for upsetting her, he replayed the conversation over in his head but couldn't think of another way to explain things. He wasn't good with words or emotional issues. Most of his life he had managed to avoid anything that even hinted at feelings. Now, once again he was being reminded why. When you cared about someone, things got messy. People got hurt. He'd hurt his Amanda and now he felt awful. How was he going to make it up to her?

Amanda finally turned and slowly walked back towards him. He watched her approach with a twisting feeling in his stomach. She stared at a spot somewhere over his shoulder and said, "I'm sorry for the way I've been acting. I was under a false assumption and appreciate your efforts to keep me from making a fool of myself. I suggest we just put this morning's unfortunate incidents behind us and resume waiting for rescue."

"Manda, it's okay. I didn't mind..." He reached out towards her but she stepped back. Stung, he let his hand drop to his side and an ache developed in the region of his heart.

"Lee, please! This is hard enough on me. I'd really appreciate it, if you didn't bring this up again." She darted a quick glance at him and Lee schooled his face to remain impassive, hiding his inner turmoil. He hadn't meant to hurt her...

"All right...If that's what you want." Lee slowly responded, not wanting to upset Amanda further. He felt like he was trying to tiptoe through a field of landmines.

"It is." She stopped for a moment, took a deep breath and then sat down as far away from him as possible. "I'll just have some of those cheese and crackers now and then we'd better check your wounds."

Silence reigned as she ate. Lee pretended to be staring at the wrecked helicopter, but was surreptitiously casting glances in her direction. Should he say something to break the silence? He noted that she sat ramrod straight and ate the small meal in quick measured bites. No, better to wait for her to make the next move. Lee pulled a blade of grass and twirled it in his fingers, staring at it in supposed fascination. Beside him, Amanda finished her meal, stood and stalked over to the first aid kit. She hefted it up and grimly walked over to where he sat.

"I'll check the lump on your head." Her voice was flat. Her fingers carefully parted his hair and examined the injured area. "This appears to be healing with no problems. I'll let you check your own leg."

Lee unwound the bandage and examined his leg with a frown. The area around the cut was red and hot to the touch. Damn! The knife that bastard had used must have been crawling with germs! He hoped Marcus got back before the infection spread too far. He doused the area with antiseptic biting back a slight cry as it stung. He then slathered antibiotic cream on the cut. It was all the treatment they had available.

Amanda had been staring straight ahead but turned to look at the sound of his stifled gasp. Her brow furrowed as she looked at the angry wound. "Is it all right?"

"Yeah," he replied dismissively, not wanting to worry her. "It'll do." He fumbled, trying to re-bandage it until Amanda reached over and finished the job for him. He noticed that she was careful to avoid contact with his skin. "Thanks," Lee said. "I'd better check your head and your hand."

He brushed the curls away from her forehead and peered at the injured area. The swelling was going down though the colouring was still hideous.

"It looks a bit better," he told her. "What about your hand?"

"I unwrapped it this morning when I washed up,"

"Okay. We'll apply a bit more cream and cover it back up to keep the dirt out." Just as they had the previous night, they worked as a team to bandage her wound, each using their good hand. As their fingers brushed, Amanda jerked away and Lee wondered if she too was experiencing the electric spark that, as of late, often taunted him when they were together.

"Is there something we should be doing for your shoulder?" She still hadn't made eye contact with him.

"No. It could possibly be wrapped tighter but I think we'll just leave it." Lee felt bad enough as it was. Playing around with his shoulder would likely just add more pain to the situation. "How's your side?"

"It'll do. It just needs time."

"You're probably right."

*******

Amanda nodded and stood. Gathering the first aid supplies, she carefully tucked them in the duffle bag. Next she fussed with the food and water, unnecessarily reorganizing it. When that was finished she stood, her back to Lee and nervously twisted her fingers. She had never been this mortified before in her life. Tears welled up again and she blinked rapidly. Hiding behind cool indifference seemed to be the only way to hold herself together.

She had always been able to talk to Lee but now, her actions had embarrassed them both, causing a barrier to be erected. No doubt, Lee was uncomfortable around her now. He probably wished he'd never been saddled with her as a partner. A real agent wouldn't have behaved so foolishly...

Minutes ticked by. The atmosphere between them was heavy and tense. She searched her mind for a topic of conversation that would break the strained silence.

"How long do you think we've been here?" She was pleased that her voice sounded calm.

"Well, we escaped Saturday night, probably around 7:00 and we crashed maybe half an hour later. Yesterday was Sunday and today's Monday—about mid morning, judging by the sun. I guess it's been almost forty hours, give or take a bit. Why?"

"Just wondering. Will someone from 'our side' be looking for us?"

"Definitely. When we didn't make our check in at noon on Saturday, Billy— that's our section chief— would have started to wonder and when we missed Saturday night, he would have started to search. He has a general idea of where we are and, don't forget, Marcus went to get help yesterday. I'm not sure when he left— I was a bit out of it at the time— but he's probably made contact with someone by now."

"Okay." Amanda nodded. Silence fell between them again. She sighed and then announced, "I'll just take a little walk around since there's nothing really to do but wait."

Thankfully, Lee seemed to sense that she wanted to keep some distance between them. He didn't volunteer to go with her. "You might want to climb to the top of the bluff and do some look out duty for awhile," he suggested.

"I'll do that." Amanda spared a glance at him and saw that he was staring at the ground. His face was grim and lines bracketed his mouth. The muscle in his jaw was twitching. She hesitated, wondering if he was upset, in pain or maybe both. Should she go to him? Biting her lip, she fought a brief internal war trying to decide on the best course of action.

Her brain now knew that there was nothing between them but her heart had different ideas. Despite what he had told her, she ached for him. He was probably in pain and had a fever. The cut needed a proper cleaning and he should be on antibiotics. She wanted to help him but could only offer him comfort. However, given this morning's revelations, she knew she had no right to do that. He was probably uncomfortable around her, and was wishing that she'd leave him alone.

With this thought in mind, she set off on her walk, hoping her absence would give him the solitude he wanted.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Lee watched Amanda disappear between the trees and sighed. After the warm treatment he'd received yesterday and earlier this morning, her neutrality seemed very icy now. He shook his head. Being noble wasn't all it was cracked up to be but, if he had let their love-making progress, what would have happened when she finally regained her memory? No matter what he might feel, he couldn't take advantage of her. The fleeting pleasure of the moment would in no way compensate for the loss of her friendship in the long run.

He willed his tense jaws to relax and spent a few moments trying to center himself again, but after several minutes of trying to push his physical discomfort to the edge of his awareness, gave up in frustration. For some reason it wasn't working. Maybe it was the fever. Maybe he was too confused about Amanda. Whatever the reason, he'd have to find something to distract himself. Sitting here, doing nothing would only make matters worse.

Looking around, Lee decided to give the wreck a closer inspection. He circled the mangled metal, reflecting that they were fortunate to only have some bumps and bruises. Peering inside, he surveyed the instrument panel. Marcus had been right — the radio was beyond repair. Lee carefully slid his body inside and began to search for anything useful that Marcus might have overlooked.

There was another duffel bag in the back— just clothing but....Lee's hand felt something hard. He carefully withdrew a bottle of whiskey. A grin briefly crossed his face. Just minutes ago he'd been thinking that his leg and shoulder were killing him and here was a 'pain killer!' He had to keep his wits about him, but a swig or two couldn't hurt! Lee took a quick sample, concluded it was 'good stuff' and carefully recapped the bottle, setting it to the side.

Nothing else of significance was found in the back and he manoeuvred himself into the pilot's seat. The instrument panel was torn up but...his agile mind noted the sharpness of the metal and thought he could use it to produce a makeshift knife. Looking at the dangling sleeve of his shirt, he ripped it off and wrapped it around the sharp edges. Gently wiggling the piece of metal back and forth, he eventually worked it free. Pleased with his efforts, Lee slid out of the wreck and took his prizes back to the fire pit area.

He sat in front of the now burnt out fire and contemplated another belt of whiskey but then thought better of it. Instead he grabbed a bottle of water to drink. Man, he was thirsty. Lee realized he was sweating more than he should be. The weather wasn't that warm and it hadn't been that big of an effort to free the chunk of metal. Once again, he cursed the guard and his filthy knife, knowing he had a fever caused by the infected wound. He guzzled the rest of the bottle of water, pushed thoughts of his health aside and busied himself with making a handle for his 'knife.'

Lee searched through the fire wood they had gathered until he found a piece that would serve as a handle. Securing the wood between his feet, he used the piece of metal as a saw, cutting a groove in the top of the wooden stick. When it was deep enough, Lee wedged the metal into the freshly formed groove. Using his good hand and his teeth, he ripped the shirt sleeve into strips and lashed the chunk of metal in place. It wasn't as strong or as stable as he would like it to be, but at least they now had something to cut with, should there be the need.

More tired from his exertions than he'd like to admit, Lee leaned back against a tree. He took a small swig of whiskey to help dull the pain, shifted around into a more comfortable position and then closed his eyes. He'd just relax and listen to the sounds of nature for a while until Amanda returned.

*****

Amanda had been slowly exploring the area around their camp, walking in ever widening circles. They had crashed in a grassy clearing on the side of a gently sloping mountain, surrounded by trees on all sides. The small stream was slightly to the East and downhill from their camp. Uphill to the West was the lookout Lee had mentioned. To the South there was evidence of an old landslide: a tumble of tree roots, logs and small boulders. It was mostly overgrown with various plants and seedlings but, as Amanda skirted around it, she noted that there was an opening to the side which appeared to lead into a cave- like den. She didn't think there were bears or cougars in the area, but she hurried on by, just in case.

Beyond her discovery of the mini-cave, Amanda's investigation of the area was disappointing. No bushes with berries. No fish in the stream. The only good news was that there was still no sign of the men that Lee had warned her about. She tried to force her mind to recall anything at all about their mission. There was something teasing her from the edge of her mind but the harder she tried to grasp onto the memory, the more quickly it slipped away. Frustrated, she abandoned the attempt.

She was still uncomfortable from the morning's revelations but knew she could delay her return no longer. It was probably over an hour since she left. In fact, she was somewhat surprised that Lee hadn't come looking for her. Even if he was mad at her, she knew he'd still be watching her back. She hoped he was all right. What if his fever had suddenly worsened? Amanda hurried her pace and arrived back at the crash site out of breath. There was no sign of movement and her eyes quickly scanned the area, searching for her partner. After a brief moment of panic she saw him apparently sleeping, propped up against a tree. A wave of relief washed over her and she slowly walked across the clearing to where he was.

Amanda paused a few feet away from him. He didn't seem to be aware of her presence and she used the time to study him carefully. The stubble on his chin was more pronounced now and in sleep, his lips were slightly pouting. His hair had fallen over his forehead and the lines on his face had relaxed making him appear younger, more vulnerable. Her heart ached with the knowledge that he wasn't hers. Despite the fact that he said they were just good friends, she knew she felt more. She still loved him, but he obviously didn't feel the same way. Oh, he desired her — she'd felt the evidence in his kiss and the way his body had moved against hers but he didn't love her.

Maybe her present feelings were just a figment of her imagination, but she strongly doubted it. More likely, in 'real life' she loved him as well, but either he wasn't aware of the fact or didn't reciprocate her feelings. The amnesia seemed to have given her permission to act on secret desires that would otherwise have never seen the light of day.

Irregardless, her new found knowledge about their relationship—or lack of one—had erased the peaceful, carefree feeling that had been with her since gaining consciousness after the crash. Her interlude from reality was over and now Amanda just wanted to be rescued, regain her memory and return to her life, whatever that might be. Somewhere out there, she had two boys who needed her. She decided to ask Lee to fill her in with more details about her family. It would hopefully be a neutral topic and it would be better than sitting in strained silence.

Amanda walked over to the tree he was leaning against. His head had fallen forward as he slept and she winced, thinking of how stiff his neck would be.

"Lee," she called out softly. "Lee, wake up, you're going to be stiff sleeping in that position."

She reached out and shook him gently.

Without warning, she felt herself being knocked to the ground, Lee's arm pressing against her throat. "What are you doing!" She cried out.

"Oh....Amanda." Lee blinked and quickly lifted his arm. "I'm sorry. I didn't hear you and just reacted... Are you all right?"

Amanda sat up and looked at him warily, "I'm okay but geez - you scared me! Why did you do that?"

"Habit," he gave a one shouldered shrug. "Too many years of people trying to kill me. I'm usually a light sleeper and it's not that often that anyone sneaks up on me. I sorry," he apologized again. "I'm surprised I fell asleep like that—I guess I'm a bit more tired than I realized or something."

"Or something." Amanda repeated, watching his hand unconsciously rub his injured leg and noting the glassy look of his eyes. "Lee, I think that infection is getting serious. You have a fever..."

"Yeah, I know." Lee acknowledged. "I don't feel that great but there's nothing else we can do. Marcus should be back soon, and then I'll be fine. So," dismissively he changed topics, "find anything interesting around here?"

"Not really." She accepted his change of subject, not willing to push the topic of his health when there was really nothing she could do about it anyway. She had no right to pressure him about anything, she reminded herself sternly. They just worked together.

Amanda settled herself on the ground beside him, their little encounter having eased some of the discomfort between them. "There was no sign of anyone approaching when I checked but I did find a small cave over there. Actually it's more or less a large animal den made of some boulders, logs and tree roots – it's hard to see and mostly overgrown but thankfully empty, I think. Other than that, I just saw trees, birds and a few squirrels." Amanda scuffed the dirt with her toe.

"I checked out the wreck and found some pain killer." He gestured at the bottle of whiskey and Amanda rolled her eyes, giving a small chuckle. "I also managed to make a bit of a knife in case we need one." Lee displayed his handiwork. "But my morning was otherwise uneventful, too."

Lee's stomach rumbled then and they both laughed, the tension easing slightly. Amanda brought out their food supplies and Lee broke down and ate some of the cheese and crackers, followed by granola and more water.

Both tired, they decided to rest after the meagre meal. Amanda quickly dozed off but Lee, though tired, couldn't get comfortable. Something was bothering him and he'd learned over the years to trust his instincts. He got up and looked around — everything seemed fine. The sky was starting to cloud over and it seemed likely that there would be rain by nightfall. Their lean-to wouldn't provide much shelter and he decided that once Amanda was up, they'd have to try to find a way to reinforce the roof.

Lee used his cane to help him wearily climb the bluff. He was really pushing himself now to keep going, but didn't want to worry Amanda. His leg was burning and he was starting to alternate between chills and feeling fevered. Marcus couldn't get here soon enough.

Pausing at the top of the bluff, Lee stood, scanning the horizon, squinting against the brightness. The fever was making his eyes sensitive to light. All appeared calm. The feeling that something was wrong must be due to being ill, he decided.

Turning to go back to camp, Lee cast a final glance over the scene in front of him and then paused. Did he just see a flash of light? He stepped back behind a tree and then carefully peeked out again. He narrowed his eyes and concentrated, looking for anything out of the ordinary. Yes, there it was again. Light reflecting off of metal. Someone was coming.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

After a few moments of study, Lee determined that there were two men heading his way. It could be rescue but he doubted it. Marcus had gone to the East and this was West, where they had come from. Local hunters? Maybe—but could he take the chance? Lee decided to err on the side of caution.

He watched the men moving for a few more moments. They were making good time but it would be over half an hour before they reached this location. Lee made his way as quickly as possible down the slope, cursing his bum leg all the way.

"Amanda! Wake up!" He prodded her with his makeshift cane and she opened her eyes, frowning up at him. "We might have company and I don't know if they're friendly or not. We need to get out of here."

Unquestioningly, Amanda got up and followed Lee's instructions to try and eradicate as much evidence of their presence as possible. Urgency momentarily eliminated any remaining awkwardness between them as they worked as an efficient team. They covered the fire pit with dirt and scattered leaves and twigs over the area trying to disguise its presence. With regret, Lee pushed over the lean-to and Amanda pulled the branches back to the area of the wreck where Marcus had found them, scattering them about as they might have originally been when the propeller ripped them off.

Amanda used a branch to sweep away as many of their footprints as possible, except those leading down towards the stream. If someone was looking for the agents, let them think that they had left and headed East down the hill. Lee gathered their supplies into the duffel bag and hefted it over his good shoulder, biting back a groan at the added strain it placed on his damaged shoulder and leg.

"Where was the den you found? Can we hide behind it?" he asked. Amanda pointed in the direction they would need to take and Lee set off.

**************

Amanda followed behind, using the branch to sweep away their retreating footsteps until they were several yards into the woods. A skilled tracker wouldn't be fooled but it was the best she could do. Dropping the branch, she hurried to Lee's side and put her hand on his arm. He stopped and looked at her inquiringly.

"Lee—let me take that." He hesitated and opened his mouth to protest. "Please?" She laid her hand on his chest and stared intently into his eyes, her concern outweighing her earlier embarrassment. Lee gazed back, seeming to study her face, searching for something...She gave a half smile and after a moment he returned it.

"All right." He nodded, slid the duffle bag from his shoulder, and passed it to her. They continued on in companionable silence for several minutes.

"Over there," Amanda indicated the tumble of uprooted trees. They made their way to the far side where they would be hidden from prying eyes. Lee dropped to the ground, obviously exhausted from their rushed exertions. Amanda set the duffel bag down and then settled herself beside him panting. The weight of the bag had been a strain on her side but she was more concerned about Lee. He was usually strong, fit and healthy but his body was losing its battle with infection. "Can I do anything for you?"

"No, I just need to rest a bit. Then I'll crawl back closer to the camp and see who our visitors are."

"Lee, you're in no condition to be crawling across the forest floor. Even if your leg can withstand the strain, you can't crawl with only one good arm. I'll go."

Lee opened his mouth to protest but seemed to realize the truth of what she was saying. Reluctantly he agreed. "All right, but be careful. Don't get too close and no matter what you hear or see, don't make contact, even if they seem friendly. You don't remember what the members of that group look like. Just take a quick peek and then report back to me. If you're seen, I want you to run this way but then keep going. If they give chase, they'll have to pass by me, and I'll distract them with the gun. They're more interested in me than you. You'll have time to escape."

Amanda didn't like the last part of Lee's plan but didn't bother to argue with him. If it came to that, she'd do what she had to do to protect her partner, just as she'd always done. Hmm - another tiny bit of memory. She resolved to investigate it further at a more opportune time. Squeezing Lee's hand, she headed back to the site they had just left.

Once near their abandoned camp, she dropped to her belly and commando crawled as near as she dared. Her bruised side protested her movements but she pushed through the discomfort intent on her mission. Hidden by small shrubs, she could see the camp. She lay there waiting.

As her breathing slowed, she became intensely aware of her surroundings. Strangely enough, there were no sounds. The breeze had died down and the birds were silent. Clouds had obscured the sun and the dull greyish light created a sombre mood. She shifted so that she wasn't putting as much pressure on her bruised side. The sound of leaves and twigs rustling as she moved, seemed loud in the stillness of the woods. An ant crawled over her arm and she absent-mindedly flicked it away.

Staring at the crash site intently, Amanda wondering if they had hidden their presence sufficiently. To her eye, evidence seemed to be everywhere. The stones from the fire pit were too close together, black marks marring their grey surface. Flattened grass screamed that several people had been sitting down and—oh darn! They'd forgotten to scatter the pile of twigs she'd gathered...Amanda bit her lip and debated whether or not she should leave her hiding spot and fix the oversight. The sound of approaching footsteps, made the decision for her. She pressed herself flat to the ground and listened.

"There it is," a voice called out.

"Yeah, Riley was right — they didn't make it far in that storm. Do you see any bodies, Dwayne?"

"Nope," the man called Dwayne answered. "They must have survived. Lots of blood on this door frame and the floor — could be Scarecrow's. I know Frank stabbed him, and I think we might have shot him as well before he got in the chopper. He went down."

"Takes a lot to kill that guy doesn't it?" the other man joked.

"Guess so. Riley really hates his guts. That's why he's paying us those big bucks to come back and look, even when the Boss said to forget about them."

Amanda peered through the branches of the bush she was hiding behind and saw the two men standing near the wreck. The man she assumed to be Dwayne was looking around but not really putting much effort into searching for clues. "You know Bob, I don't think they're here. Why would they hang around? They probably crawled out of the chopper and headed down hill."

"Could be. They can't be travelling too fast, if Scarecrow's injured. The female's probably a bit crippled up too, from where Frank kicked her."

"Man, was he mad when she bit him. He'd really like to get his hands on her again," Dwayne smirked.

"Ahh, Frank never did know how to treat a woman. If she'd stuck around long enough, I'd have shown her what a real man is!"

"Yeah, right!" Dwayne scoffed. "Anyway, Frank was going to use her as a bargaining chip in that poker game. We all wanted in on that one!"

"Don't know why Frank thought she belonged to him, anyway. Riley was really ticked over that. He said they were both his..." Bob shrugged and gave a final glance around the clearing. "Well, let's keep moving. We lost a lot of time waiting for the big boss to leave before we started searching. Riley wants a report from us as soon as possible."

The men left the clearing and headed east down the hill. Amanda waited a few more minutes to ensure that they were far enough away and then slowly got to her knees. She felt sick to her stomach. The way the men had talked about her...she could well imagine the fate that she had escaped. Rubbing her side, she realized that the bruises weren't from the crash as she had assumed but from being kicked by someone named Frank.

Amanda was sure Lee hadn't told her any of this. Why had he lied or, at least omitted this fact? Didn't she have a right to know what had happened to her? He was always trying to protect her... She pondered how she knew that. More memories flooded her mind. An office...being in a car on a stakeout... a white picket fence. Slowly she got to her feet and made her way back to Lee while sorting through a rush of memories.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Lee sat leaning against a tree trunk anxiously waiting for Amanda, the gun ready at his side. It seemed as if she'd been gone for ages and his imagination began to present a variety of scenarios, none of them pleasant. He hated sending her off on her own. As senior agent, their safety was his responsibility...Shaking his head, he realized that he still had a long way to go when it came to relying on others. But, if he had to lean on someone, he was glad it was Amanda. She thought on her feet...

The sound of her approaching footsteps broke into his reverie and he sighed in relief. She was coming by herself, walking, not running. That meant no immediate danger. Lee put the safety back on the gun. AWhat did you see? Do you think it was Riley and his group?"

Amanda sat down beside him and related what she had overheard. "They're looking for us. They said that 'Riley really hates Scarecrow's guts.' I think I remember now—you're Scarecrow?" Lee confirmed her assumption and she continued. "Riley's sent these two men looking for us, apparently against the wishes of the leader. That's why they're only looking for us now— they had to wait until 'the big Boss' left before they set out. One of them is named Dwayne and the other is Bob." She paused then looked directly at Lee. "And someone named Frank really would like me back as well as most of the other men too!"

Lee grimaced, "I didn't want you to know about that."

"Why?"

"Well, if I didn't tell you, you wouldn't be worrying about it and it seemed we had enough to be thinking about..." His voice trailed off at her expression.

"I might not remember everything but a lot of memories have been coming back and I know this 'protect Amanda' is a recurring theme between us. Lee, I'm a grown woman, I know the world isn't always a pretty place and that we have a dangerous job. Please, just tell me the truth. I might be upset for a while but I'll deal with it. I'm a lot tougher than I look."

Taking in her resolved expression, Lee reluctantly told Amanda about Frank's treatment of her. He related what Marcus had said, that Amanda had bit her assailant and that as punishment she'd been hit and kicked. "He came back with plans to continue where he'd left off..."

Amanda sat silently beside him, staring at the ground. "I can remember some of it now. Marcus was tied up and couldn't do anything to stop the guard. I was so scared and worried too. You'd been unconscious for quite a while and the cut on your head had bled a lot. I didn't know if you were all right and there was nothing I could do to help you..." Her voice trembled as tears threatened. Lee reached out, drawing her to him.

"Amanda, this is why I didn't tell you. I can't stand to see you upset. I never want to cause you any pain."

For a moment, Amanda absorbed the comfort offered but then sat up and stared studiously at the ground. "Lee," she said softly. "Why did you tell me the truth this morning? About the fact that we didn't have a 'relationship' like I thought."

He wondered why she was bringing that topic up right now and answered slowly, not sure where the conversation was going. "Because it wasn't fair for me to let you go on thinking we were married. You were doing things under a false assumption and needed to know the facts."

"So this morning telling me the truth was the right thing to do because knowing all of the facts was important, even though it upset me."

"Right. I didn't like making you cry but it was for your own good."

"Then doesn't that hold true for this situation with Frank, and all of the other situations you try to shield me from?"

"Well..."

"Lee, look at me." Amanda turned to face Lee and he shifted a bit so that he could see her face.

"I might cry or get upset when you tell me the truth about something but it's okay. Crying is just a way of getting the feelings out so that you can move on. Tears can be healing. Yes, sometimes the truth will upset me but I need the chance to deal with it. When you tell me the truth, you let me know that you trust me and believe that I'm capable of handling things. It empowers me to know what I'm facing. Then I can make the necessary changes or decisions to deal with it."

Lee looked down at the woman in front of him. Her lashes were spiky and her nose was slightly pink, A few stray tears had left tracks down her dusty face and little bits of leaves and grass were stuck in her hair from crawling along the ground. She was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. Maybe fate was giving him the opening that he needed.

He put a finger under her chin and raised her face so that their eyes met.

"Amanda, if I'm to be completely truthful, I have something else to tell you. I know I said that we were just good friends but, for some time now, I've wanted us to be more. Yesterday, and this morning, with your memory loss, you felt that you loved me and, maybe those feelings weren't real but... I hope that they were." He reached up and cupped her face with his hand and tenderly ran his thumb over her cheek. "I was honored that, even if it was only in your imagination, you might think of me as a husband and a lover. I don't know how you'll feel about me, once your whole memory returns but, even if you discover that your feelings for me are only friendship, I want you to know that, no matter what happens, I love you."

"Oh, Lee!" Amanda sighed. "I know that I still have some amnesia but, from the very moment I regained consciousness after the crash, I've known, in here," she pressed a hand to her heart, "that you were special to me. It just felt right." She cupped and caressed his face, just as he was doing to hers. "Even as more and more of my memory returns, the feeling that I belong to you has stayed. If anything, it's grown stronger. I don't know why I never told you before— maybe I was afraid, I don't know..." She shook her head and smiled tremulously. "Lee, I love you. I love you with my whole heart!" She reached up and placed her lips against his, as if trying to show him with actions the conviction behind her words.

Lee returned her kiss, carefully pressing her against his body with his good arm. He put all of his love into the kiss, tenderly caressing her lips with his before running his tongue along the seam, asking permission to enter. She opened for him and the tips of their tongues met, each tasting the other. Probing deeper, he explored the sweet, moist cavern as waves of passion rose within him.

Finally drawing away, he stared deeply into her eyes. Deep brown orbs were carefully studying his face. She seemed to be trying to memorize each of his features. Her gaze was almost like a physical touch, skimming his cheek bones, tracing his nose, caressing his lips... Slowly the softness left her face and frown began to mar her brow. Puzzled by the change in her expression, Lee drew back.

"Amanda? What's wrong?"

"Lee, you look terrible!"

"Thanks!" He tried to laugh off her concern but seeing her serious expression, the smile drifted from his face. As the euphoria of their kiss faded, he became increasingly aware of his physical state. Chills were replacing the fever he had previously had. Reluctantly he admitted as much to her. "I don't think I'm going to be of much use to you any longer. All my energy is going towards fighting this infection. If Marcus doesn't bring some help soon, you might have to fend for yourself."

"Lee! Don't say that!" Amanda's distress was evident in her voice.

"Remember, you wanted honesty," Lee gently reminded her. "If I should lose consciousness or...anything..." he continued grimly, "If we're in danger of capture ... You save yourself. I don't want them getting their filthy hands on you. You take the gun and whatever supplies you need and head east, just like Marcus did— you understand me?"

Amanda nodded, pressing her lips firmly together. "It won't come to that, Lee, I know it won't!"

Lee smiled at her and squeezed her hand. He could feel his strength rapidly fading. For the last day and a half, he'd been pushing himself hard but knew he couldn't keep up the front any longer. For her sake though, he tried to be a bit more positive.

"I don't think we should return to the camp today until almost dusk in case Riley's goons return. They'll likely continue down the mountain by whatever route Marcus took, but on the off chance that they double back, we don't want them taking us by surprise. Once night comes, it should be safe; they won't travel in the dark. We can sleep in the back of the chopper - it won't be comfortable but it will provide some shelter. Come morning, we'll head back here — near enough to hear Marcus' rescue team but far enough away in case our 'friends' are still looking for us."

Amanda took a steadying breath and gave him a wobbly smile. "It sounds like a plan but for now, I need to put on my Bedside Bluebell hat and make my patient comfortable."

She pushed the needles and leaves littering the forest floor into a makeshift mattress and pulled some of the clothing from the duffle bag, forming a bed. Easing Lee down, she used two t-shirts as blankets and then wrapped her arms around him, sharing her body heat in an effort to dispel his chills.

"Is this in the Bedside Bluebell manual?" He asked with a smile.

"I wrote my own chapter," she responded. "Now try to rest."


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Amanda stayed beside Lee until she sensed that he was sleeping, his chills having temporarily subsided. Carefully, she got up and searched through their meagre belongings until she found the knife that Lee had fashioned earlier in the day. She peeked in the entrance of the cave-like den just to ensure that no one was home. It wasn't overly large but, in a pinch, they could fit inside. Glancing up at the darkening sky, she predicted rain before nightfall. If they couldn't go back to the chopper, they'd need to find some shelter and this might be it. Using the knife, she scraped away the soil and managed to hack and bend back some of the branches thus enlarging the entrance, so that Lee's sturdy frame could fit through the opening.

Her efforts had caused the cut on her hand to open up again and she paused to put a fresh bandage on it. Then, on all fours, she crawled into the shelter and looked around. It was dark and had an earthy smell but they could both fit, if they didn't mind huddling together. The floor was scattered with leaves from previous years and a few insects scuttled away as she disturbed the usual quiet of their habitat. Suppressing a shiver at the sight of a large centipede, she backed out and then pushed the duffle bag of supplies inside.

Next, she checked on her sleeping partner. He had flung the t-shirts off and was mumbling slightly. The growth of several days beard darkened his face and shadows could be seen under his eyes. Bruises were peeking out around the wrappings that kept his arm and shoulder in place and the infection in his leg was oozing through the bandages. 'Please, please, please,' she prayed. 'Let help come soon.'

The air was damp and a cool breeze was beginning to blow, causing her to shiver as it passed over her sweaty skin. She stared at the sky, watching the dark grey clouds roll by. The wind suddenly picked up and the leaves began to rustle as they swayed on their slender stems. Slowly, one by one, fat drops of rain started to fall, making plinking sounds as they landed. Wet spots began to appear on her shirt with increasing speed and Amanda realized that this was not going to be a light sprinkle. She would have to wake Lee so he could move into the miniature cave before they were both totally soaked.

She called his name and shook his shoulder. Unlike earlier in the day, it took several attempts to rouse him and he looked at her with bleary eyes. Quickly explaining what must be done, they worked as a team to get him inside.

Amanda sat in the cramped space. Her side, still sore and bruised, was letting her know its displeasure at her activities today. Crawling on the forest floor hadn't been the best idea and helping Lee move...well, he was no lightweight. She was exhausted from both her efforts and the emotional roller coaster she'd been on all day.

Lee's head was pillowed on her lap. She looked down and ran her hand lovingly across his brow, wishing yet again, that there was something more she could do to help him. Once inside their new shelter, he had immediately fallen into a restless sleep, mumbling slightly as he dreamed. In the dim light, Amanda felt herself becoming sleepy and began to doze, half listening to Lee's voice as he muttered crossly.

"I don't know why we have to wait here. Nothing is going to happen. This whole mission is a bust," he grumbled. Suddenly, he tensed, sat up and pushed her behind him while shouting "Get down! Stay in the car and call for backup!"

Amanda's head made contact with a bit of branch that helped form the walls of the den. Naturally the point of contact was her original bump and she growled at Lee, even though she knew he wasn't aware of his actions. It was a bit of a struggle but she managed to keep him from exiting the shelter, mostly because his leg gave out when he'd tried to get past her.

He fell into a calmer sleep after that, his fever abated somewhat. She checked his wound again, the sight of the infected cut making her slightly ill. Even though it wouldn't do much good, she changed the bandage and applied more cream. Noticing how, even in sleep, he winced in pain, she wondered about giving him some whiskey to drink. Did you give alcohol to someone with a fever? Frowning, she searched her memory but couldn't recall. Well, once he woke up, they'd talk about it, though she was sure she knew what his answer would be!

Unsure of what to do next, Amanda just sat, half asleep, waiting for the rain to stop. What she would do when that happened, she didn't know. Even if she could find some dry wood, did she dare light a fire? What if Dwayne and his friend came back and saw it? Yet, without a fire their damp clothing wouldn't dry and they'd be cold and uncomfortable tonight.

She had given up all thought of going back to the crash site— she'd never get Lee that far. Trying to think of her next move, Amanda laid her head back against the wall and let her eyes drift shut. She'd just rest for a few moments...

Sometime later, Amanda awoke with a start. Lee had his hand clamped over her mouth and he was making shushing noises. She strained her ears to hear whatever had alerted him. The rain had stopped but water was still dripping off of the leaves. In the dim light her eyes met his, a question evident in her gaze. Was this another fever induced hallucination or had he really heard something. Giving him the benefit of the doubt, she continued to listen. Finally she heard it too— the sound of someone approaching. There were male voices but too distant for her to determine who they might belong to.

Carefully bending over so that her mouth was by his ear, she whispered, "Do you think it's Marcus' rescue team or Riley's men?"

Lee shook his head, "I can't make out the voices. We need to try to see who it is. Do you think you can manage to peek around the corner and not be seen?"

"I'll have to, won't I? We can't risk staying hidden in case it's the rescue team."

"But we can't risk being discovered either. Neither of us will stand a chance if Riley gets his hands on us."

Amanda grasped the knife in her hand and moved as silently as possible towards the entrance. She listened intently trying to determine where the voices were coming from and how near they might be. Deciding that whoever was out there was probably a distance away, she cautiously peered around the corner and almost let out a gasp. It was the same men she had seen earlier in the day and they seemed to be searching the woods.

Creeping back towards Lee, she saw that his brief adrenaline rush, caused by the sound of the voices, was rapidly fading. He was leaning against the back of the cave, his eyes closed, his breathing uneven. She whispered her report to him, hoping he was still conscious.

"Oh Lee, we're in big trouble now. Riley's men are back and they seem to be searching around this area looking for us. We'll have to stay here, hidden and as quiet as possible. Do you understand me, Lee? No sounds, okay?"

Lee nodded. She turned to face the entrance, the knife clutched in her hand, but felt Lee grab her arm. Looking back she saw him holding out the gun to her. Amanda stared at the gun for a brief moment before raising her eyes to his.

His steady gaze held hers and he mouthed the words, "Take it."

Amanda swallowed hard and set down the makeshift knife. Her trembling hand took the weapon from him. She hated guns and did very poorly at the firing range but it was up to her to protect both herself and her partner. Removing the safety, she crouched by the entrance waiting for whatever might happen next.

Time passed slowly. It seemed like hours but in reality was probably much shorter. Her hand was cramping from the tight hold she had on the handle of the gun. Wiggling her fingers slightly, she quickly glanced down at her hand. The bandage was red with blood. She wiped her hand on her pant leg but then resumed her death grip on the weapon. Footsteps could be heard approaching and Amanda scarcely dared to breathe.

"They must be around here somewhere. That local that we talked to said his buddy had given the survivor of a crash a ride to town. One of them must have gone for help and left the other two back here."

"Well keep looking. There's probably a clue somewhere and once we find it, we'll track them down, hand them over to Riley and get our money."

Hands shaking and palms slippery with blood and sweat, she raised her arm and pointed the gun at the entrance to the den. "I can do this," she told herself. "I have to save Lee." Swallowing hard, she cocked the gun.

A booted foot came into her line of vision and the voice that she thought belonged to Dwayne called out, "Hey, Bob! Look here!"

Forcing herself to wait, Amanda held her breath. A knee and leg appeared as the man knelt down to peer inside. Closing her eyes, Amanda fired.

A cry of pain and surprise was heard and she fired twice more and then paused, not wanting to waste her ammunition.

"What the hell?" The man named Bob could be heard running and shouting. Amanda found it difficult to make out his words due to the rushing sound in her ears. She shook her head, forcing herself to stay conscious and in control. Behind her, she could here Lee moving about.

"Amanda, I hear something..." he said in a shaky voice.

Too intent on watching the entrance to the den, Amanda shushed Lee, not listening to his effort at gaining her attention.

Amanda heard gun fire and immediately fired again to keep her enemies at bay. There were more voices and more running feet. "Oh my gosh," she whispered. "Riley's sent more men. How long can I hold them off?" Fear rushed through her system and she trembled uncontrollably. Footsteps came closer and closer... People were shouting.... Someone paused just outside the entrance. Sweat dripped in her eyes and she could hardly see. Amanda braced herself to pull the trigger again when suddenly Lee called out from behind her.

"No!" Somehow Lee had managed to gather enough strength to launch himself across the shelter. He pushed her hand up and to the side just as she fired. Bits of debris showered down upon them as the bullet buried itself in the roof of the cave. Lee let go of her wrist and collapsed on the ground beside her.

Amanda's shocked gaze moved from Lee to the entrance.

" Lee! Amanda!"

A voice impinged on her mind. She knew that voice—it was Mr. Melrose, her boss! In slow motion, Amanda let her arm drop to her side and the gun slide from her hand. Her head slowly sank to her chest and she felt herself falling forward as the world around darkened...

Chapter 14 (more like a tag)

2 days later...

Amanda sat beside Lee in the hospital. As usual, he was grumbling about the treatment, the food, the IV....the list went on and on. She reached over and grabbed his hand.

"Lee, if you spend less energy on griping and more on resting, you'll get released sooner."

"No, I won't. Once medical personnel get a victim, they keep you for as long as they can, poking and prodding and taking blood—a bunch of sadistic..."

Amanda ended his tirade by placing a finger across his lips. "You promised me..."

"I know, I know. If I want company, I have to quit complaining."

Lee lifted her bandaged hand to his lips and pressed a gentle kiss on her scraped knuckles. He smiled up at her and said, "Amanda, you were terrific out there. I know how you feel about guns and shooting but you managed to incapacitate Dwayne by shooting him in the foot and..."

Uncomfortable with the trend of the conversation, Amanda interrupted saying with sarcasm, "Oh, sure. I was really terrific! Almost shooting your section chief is a great way to further your career!"

"I stopped you in time and Billy understood that you didn't know it was him."

"Honestly, I didn't hear the rescue chopper! I was so scared I could barely think, let alone hear."

"Billy knows that." Lee reassured. "We were sure lucky that they arrived when they did. We only had that one gun and eventually our ammo would have run out..." His face clouded over and Amanda knew he was thinking about what could have happened.

"Never mind." It was Amanda's turn to offer comfort. "It's all in the past and we're safe now. You'll be well enough to leave the hospital soon, I only have this cut and a few bruises left and with the information Marcus gathered, Riley and the rest of them will be behind bars for some time to come."

They both sat quietly for a while, lost in thoughts of their most recent adventure.

Lee began to nervously pleat the sheets of the bed and then cleared his throat before speaking. "Amanda, now that your memory's mostly returned, do you still think...I mean, do you recall what we were saying just before..." He paused and grappled for the words, and the courage, to ask the question that had been burning in his heart since their return to civilization.

Amanda apparently knew what he wanted to ask and took pity on him, "Yes, I still love you. Memory or no memory, you're always in my heart." She leaned forward and kissed him slowly and tenderly before pulling away and staring into his eyes.

"Manda, I love you too - for always," Lee promised, before reaching up and pulling her back down for another kiss.

"Hmm! That's the medicine I need," he chuckled as they broke apart.

"If you're a good boy, you might get another dose," she teased.

"Is giving medicine in the Bedside Bluebell manual?"

"Don't you remember?" She whispered as her lips descended on his again, "I wrote my own chapter."

(Well this was the end maybe…..but as the GG girls were reading, they kept posing questions which got me to thinking….someone didn't really trust Marcus and where the heck was he any way? What all was Amanda forgetting in Chapter 1 – she thought there was something she had to do.. a rendezvous – hmm. And at the end here, her memory has mostly returned….Oh dear, and Riley has never been caught...

I am presently trying to answer these questions in a follow up story so…maybe this really isn't the end or maybe it is—time will tell – Charlie)


End file.
